


Destiny, Deliberation and Determination

by Keefa



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Established Shance, Happy Ending, M/M, Modern AU, Multi, Polyamory, Soulmate AU, demisexual shiro, more tags to be added later, probably ooc because i suck, slight angst, soulmates name written on your arm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2018-12-10 09:44:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 36,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11689056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keefa/pseuds/Keefa
Summary: Shiro and Lance are happy together. Lance is Shiro's soulmate, but Shiro isn't his in return. But they're happy with that, they make it work.All is well until someone claims Shiro is his soulmate and throws a spanner in the works.





	1. Chapter One

Shiro woke to the feeling of Lance placing soft, reverent kisses to his arm. It was a Sunday morning and they had no plans all day, and Shiro was content to lay in bed as long as possible, to hold on to the warm, sleepy contentedness he felt. He opened his eyes to see Lance in the muted sunlight, hair mussed from sleep, blankets pooled around his lower back as he lay on his stomach, kissing each letter of his name that was etched into Shiro’s skin.

Shiro rolled over to be near to Lance, and cuddled in close to him.

“Mmm,” Lance hummed, mouth still on Shiro’s arm. “G’morning,” he said sleepily, before continuing his exploration.

“Morning, kitten.” Shiro responded, before dropping a few sloppy kisses to Lance's ear, jawline, shoulder. He wanted to twist his hand in Lance’s hair, but Lance was busy with Shiro’s forearm, and his prosthetic had been taken off for the weekend, so it sat in the corner of the bedroom. Shiro made do with pressing his body closer still to Lance’s and twining their legs.

Shiro lived for mornings like these ones, though they were rare with their life. Quiet, comfortable and spent in the company of his soulmate. Lance kissing Shiro’s soulmark sent waves of love and happiness to Shiro's heart. Lance loving the proof that he was meant for Shiro… nothing could make him happier.

Shiro would have reciprocated, but Lance didn’t have Shiro’s name on his left arm. Shiro wasn’t Lance’s soulmate.

Lance had his left arm covered with a band, blocking the name there from view, even now, in bed with Shiro after years of their relationship. Lance hadn’t shown or told Shiro who his soulmate was.

Not that Shiro minded, really. Lance was his soulmate, and Lance wanted to be with him. Shiro was more than happy with that. Plus, that was private. The only people who didn’t have the soulmark hidden were people who had already met their soulmate. Even then, some people felt it was private and kept it covered. No one showed off their soulmark without having found their soulmate. Ever since Shiro had realised Lance was his soulmate, he proudly bore his soulmate's name to the world.

Sometimes, people gave them weird looks. When they saw Shiro and Lance, holding hands but Shiro’s arms bare and Lance’s covered. But at the same time, unreciprocated soulmates weren’t unheard of. They made up maybe 2.5% of the population, but were still more common than people realised! Shiro didn’t care about the looks. As long as Lance was with him, and chose him, that’s all that mattered to Shiro.

Finally, Lance had finished kissed his way down Shiro’s arm and instead kissed his wrist. He turned his head to admire his name on Shiro’s arm where it sat.

Leandro Alejandro Núñez Cuesta Espinosa.

Lance shot a sleepy smile at Shiro. Shiro returned it. God, he loved that smile. He loved everything about that man. Shiro leant forward and kissed Lance, on the lips.

“Gross,” Lance mumbled, before kissing Shiro again. “Morning breath.”

Shiro laughed. “Doesn’t seem to be stopping you,” he murmured against Lance’s lips.

“You’re lucky I love you,” Lance replied, before rolling over to straddle Shiro, and kiss him properly.

The kisses mirrored the lazy Sunday mood, relaxed, unhurried and comforting. They weren’t building towards anything more, just enjoying what they had in that moment. It was perfect. They stayed there, in the warm cocoon of their bed, the weak morning light struggling to shine past the shutters, just kissing the morning away.

Eventually, Lance couldn’t ignore the rumbling of his stomach. “Breakfast time!” He announced, pressing a final kiss to Shiro’s lips before jumping off his and shambling towards the kitchen.

Shiro didn’t move for a few seconds, just basking in the moment. They rarely had mornings like this, and he wanted to take the time to appreciate it for what it was. Then, knowing Lance wouldn’t be happy with him if he stayed there too much longer, he got out of bed and took a quick shower before joining Lance in the kitchen.

“Good timing!” Lance said when he saw Shiro, towel still draped over his shoulders, in only boxers and a worn t-shirt. Lance was dishing up breakfast. Shiro rounded the table toward Lance to give one a quick kiss before sitting down to eat.

“Smells delicious,” Shiro said.

“You, or the breakfast?” Lance smirked, dropping the dirty dishes into the sink before standing behind Shiro, draping his arms over Shiro’s shoulders and placing soft kisses to his neck.

Shiro huffed out a laugh. “Kiss me after we’ve eaten, kitten.”

“Fine,” Lance said with a dramatic sigh and flung himself heavily into the chair next to Shiro. Lance sat sideways on his chair, and arranged his legs so they were tangled with Shiro’s before tucking into the grease-filled, cheat day breakfast he’d made for them.

After breakfast, Lance showered while Shiro did the dishes, and they met on the couch to start their Sunday Netflix catch-up marathon, filled with blankets, kisses, cuddles and junk food. Hours passed that way and it was all going well until…

“Okay I know I said we’d stay in all weekend… but I’m getting serious cabin fever.”

“Thank god,” Shiro breathed. “I love couch-time but I’d love to go for a stroll. Maybe get some coffee.”

Lance beamed at him. “You’re perfect. Best boyfriend ever!” He leaned forward to kiss Shiro.

“Yeah,” Shiro responded, grinning. “It’s almost like you’re my soulmate, or something!”

“Almost, yeah.” Lance kissed him once more before leaping up. “Go get dressed, I’ll tidy up in here. We can go for a walk in the park and grab something to eat on our way back.”

Shiro nodded and headed toward the bedroom to get ready. He was just finishing attaching his arm when Lance walked in.

“You sure you want to wear that? You said you wanted to take a break.” Lance asked, while pulling his shirt off to start getting dressed. Shiro took a moment to admire his soulmates long, lean body before answering.

“Yeah,” Shiro said. “But I took Friday off work remember? So it’s already been two and a half days. I don’t mind.”

Lance shrugged. “Okay.”

Shiro finished with his arm, and stayed sitting and admired Lance as he got dressed and ran a comb quickly through his short hair. Shiro could watch him do anything. He loved just sitting in silence and watch Lance do everything and anything, and do it gorgeously.

Maybe Shiro was biased, but who could tell?

When Lance was ready, he reached his hand out to Shiro who took it, and together they walked out the building and into the warm day outside. Shiro was silent for a moment, enjoying the sunshine while Lance checked something on his phone. They were near the park when Shiro asked

“Which do you want to do first, coffee or walk in the park?”

“Coffee,” Lance replied easily.

“Coffee, park, dinner?” Shiro asked.

“Coffee, park.... More coffee, dinner.” Lance said, as if he was testing the words out as he said it.

“Coffee, park, and then coffee again?!”

“Coffee, park, coffee.”

Shiro sighed. “Whatever you say.”

Lance kissed his cheek, teasing. “Whatever I say.”

They continued on to the coffee shop, where Lance ordered them both an iced coffee. ( _“It’s to help keep cool and caffeinated on this warm summer day, Shiro!”_ ) The barista seemed strangely focused on Shiro, which was strange since Shiro didn’t say a word while they were there. It was Lance who ordered their drinks, and Lance who the barista was interacting with. Why did he keep looking at Shiro? Shiro tried to focus instead on Lance. Lance seemed to be talking more than usual, but Shiro assumed it was because he was trying to pry the dark haired guys attention away from Shiro. He leaned down to give Lance a quick kiss on his cheek. Lance smiled up and him and pushed him away slightly. Was he uncomfortable? He rubbed his arm along Lances back to be reassuring, or to show to he wouldn’t press any further.

Then their drinks arrived and Shiro did give the over-worked barista a smile and a tip before they left. He was struck by the mans violet eyes, but Lance dragged him away before he had a chance to react.

Shiro was happy to be pulled by Lance out of the crowded and stuffy shop and back into the open air. Lance was leading him by his left arm. He’d told Shiro once the reason he preferred his left hand was not because of Shiro’s prosthetic, but because his left was where Lance’s name was etched into Shiro’s skin. Lance said he felt like he was holding onto the connection that brought them together. Seeing Lane’s name stand out against Shiro’s pale skin in the sunshine, he swore he too could feel that connection between them.

They took the long way into the park, wanting to enjoy the sun and fresh air and cold drinks for as long as possible. As soon as they entered the park, Lance whipped his phone out to take photos and videos for his various social media. He even made Shiro hold out his drink so Lance could get a photo of that. Shiro had no idea why, but Lance was a social media whizz, and Shiro knew better than to question him about it. He just posed when he was told to, and sent Lance incredulous looks. When he watched the videos back, they looked more endeared than anything. He couldn’t even be fake mad at Lance.

They made a few laps around the park, drank their iced drinks, debated whether to sit down and eat or take it home. Neither wanted to sit down, so the debate was pointless and fun. They chit-chatted and bantered with the ease that comes with knowing someone a long time. Eventually, the sun started to go down and the air got a bit cooler.

“How about we order the food, get coffee while we wait to collect it?” Lance suggested.

Shiro shrugged, “Sounds good to me.”

After they placed their order, they headed back to the Starbucks from before. The same dark haired, violet-eyes man was working. Shiro made a point to smile at him this time, while Lance babbled in his ear as they waited in line.

“I’m thinking next weekend we can go to Pidge’s place for a few drinks and board games.”

“Sounds good!” Shiro smiled.

Lance sensed the tension under it though.

“Unless you’re still upset over The Great Monopoly Incident of ‘17?” Lance teased.

“Not at all,” Shiro replied easily. The queue moved along and Shiro stepped forward, pulling Lance along with him.

Lance considered him for a second. “It’s not about when we played Sorry three years ago is it?!”

Shiro’s shoulder sagged. “I wish you’d just let that go! It wasn’t a big deal!”

“Wasn’t a big deal?!” Lance crowed. “Not a big deal that The Great Takashi Shirogane literally flipped a table because he got sent back to the start?”

At that moment, Shiro heard a crash and multiple voices exclaiming. The dark haired barista stood stock still, staring at Shiro. Shiro caught his eye for a moment, before the barista seemed to realise what had happened and sprung into action. It looked like he’d dropped the coffee, smashing the cup and nearly burning the customer.

Lance and Shiro exchanged a look before Shiro began to defend himself.

“Yeah I flipped the table! I’d just gotten sent back to the start for the third time in one round! It was ridiculous! How does that even happen, Lance?”

Lance patted Shiro’s arm. “I dunno, handsome” He cooed.

“I’ll tell you how. You were all bullying me, that’s how.”

Lance just threw his head back and cackled at him.

Shiro was saved from Lances mocking reply by the barista. “Hey! What can I get you guys this evening?”

Lance smiled at him and began rattling off their orders. Again, the barista couldn’t seem to keep his gaze off Shiro. His eyes kept snapping back to Lance, trying to focus on what he was saying, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself staring at Shiro.

When Lance finished his (overly complicated) order, the barista looked like he wanted to say something to Shiro. He even started to, but quickly turned away to begin making their drinks. Lance shot Shiro a confused, questioning look. Shiro merely shrugged in return.

There was no one in the store behind them, so they didn’t move from the front counter. Did the guy even charge them for the drinks yet? He must be having a bad day, from what Shiro could see.

Shiro stood with his arm around Lance in silence while they waited for their drinks. They didn’t have to wait long, and when the barista returned, he seemed confused to see Lance’s money on the counter.

“Oh, I didn’t charge you, did I?” He said, before cursing under his breath. “Sorry about that. Uh, that’s $6.75 please.” Lance picked up the money and handed it to him. But, the barista hesitated. He looked up and Shiro.

Shiro raised his eyebrow. “Uh.. sorry to… um..” He seemed to struggle to find the words. “Did I overhear… is your name Takashi Shirogane?”

Lance tensed beside Shiro. “It is. Why?” Shiro asked, voice blank.

The barista seemed to gain confidence hearing this. He quickly unbuttoned his shirt sleeve and started to roll it up.

“I think I’m your soulmate!” He said confidently. “Look!” He showed his forearm to Shiro, to show him the name printed onto his skin. Shiro and Lance could read plain as day his name on this stranger's arm. Shiro didn’t respond.

“I’m your soulmate.” The stranger repeated, his voice soft and happy. Like this was what he’d been waiting for his whole life

Shiro regarded him for a moment. He picked up his and Lance’s coffee, baring his left arm clearly to the barista. His arm that had Lance’s name written on it. The barista faltered then, confused.

“No,” He said coldly. “You’re not.”

Then Shiro turned and walked away.

 

* * *

 

 

The only way Lance had of describing this poor guy was like a shattered mirror. When Shiro walked away, Lance could have sworn he heard this guys heart breaking. He looked… frozen and shattered.

“Oh my days…” Lance said. “Oh my word, oh my stars, oh my days.”

The violet-eyed barista hadn’t moved. He still had the money for coffees in one hand, his shirtsleeve hanging, his left arm bare. He looked like a lost child.

“He didn’t mean that,” Lance said. “You took him by surprise, he didn’t know how to react I promise you, he didn’t mean that.” The barista finally moved, and turned to face Lance, tears of shock and hurt in his eyes. Lance reached out to touch him, to hold him together, to try to fix this. Oh holy crow, this was a mess.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lance saw the manager coming out of the office. Hopefully he took pity on this poor guy and let him go home early. There was no way he could be expected to work after… _that_.

Lance wanted to explain to the guy about Shiro and Lance’s relationship, how they weren’t each other's soulmates, but he doubted that’s what he wanted to hear right now, and it wouldn’t help. So Lance did what he could to help.

He reached out to hold both his arms, careful to avoid his bare soulmark.

“I swear to you, he’s not usually like that. He didn’t know what to do, so he lashed out. Give him some time, and he’ll want to talk to you.” The barista made a pained noise from the back of his throat, looking up at Lance in confusion and desperation. Like Lance was his only salvation from this pain. Which… in a sense, he was.

“Give him some time.” Lance repeated. The barista sniffled and nodded.

Lance let him go to quickly grab a napkin, and pulled the pen out of the guys apron. “Quick, give me your name and number. I’ll get him to call you once he’s had time to cool off.”

The barista looked confused for a moment, before nodding once more and bending down to write furiously on the napkin. A tear or two fell before the guy could angrily wipe them away, but didn’t hit the ink, so Lance wasn’t worried.

When he finished, he leaned up to hand it to Lance, but Lance had moved around the other side of the counter to pull the guy into a hug. He didn’t know where the urge came from, and he’d acted before he had time to talk himself out of it. But how could he leave a guy, clearly hurting and desperate, hanging like that? He couldn’t.

The guy seemed surprised at first but quickly leaned into it, head buried in Lance neck, arms loose around Lance’s waist. Lance wanted to hold him there, until he felt better, but he knew he had to get back to Shiro and their apartment. Reluctantly, he pulled back, and took the piece of paper from the other man's hands, but held his hands tightly in his own.

“You’ll be okay,” he said, holding the barista violet gaze. “I’ll fix this, you’ll be okay.”

They stood like that for a long moment, before the barista nodded one final time, and Lance pulled away and walked out the door. He had to find Shiro, he had to fix this.

 

 

When Lance got back to their apartment, Shiro was just finishing putting their dinner onto plates. Lance leaned against the doorway to the kitchen.

“Hey kitten,” Shiro said, rising to kiss Lance, looking relaxed and happy. Like nothing had happened. “What kept you?”

Lance started at him, incredulous.

Softly, he asked “Are we going to talk about what happened down there?”

Shiro froze. “Nope,” he said, turning and feigning nonchalance. “Nothing to talk about.”

“Shiro,” Lance sighed, exhausted for what he knew was coming. “We need to talk about it.”

“No, we don’t.” Shiro said, voice firm.

“You’re his soulmate, Shiro. He deserves to at least know you.”

“I don’t need him,” Shiro insisted, face hard, voice filled with a cold rage. “I’ve got you. I don’t need anyone else.”

“Shiro…” Lance all but begged. “If I met my soulmate, I’d still choose you. But they’d at least deserve to know that. So does he. He deserves to know why he’ll never be with you. Isn’t that the least you can give him?”

His words only seemed to make Shiro angrier, his shoulders rising, his breath coming shallow and quick as he paced their tiny kitchen. Lance couldn’t explain why it was so important Shiro meet this man, but it felt vital.

“He’s a stranger. He doesn’t deserve anything from me!” Shiro slammed his hand into the table, but Lance didn’t react. He knew Shiro lashed out when he felt cornered. “In fact, if I never saw him again I’d be perfectly happy with that!”

“You didn’t see his face after you left,” Lance said, voice desperate. “You broke him, Shiro. Utterly and completely.”

“Good,” Shiro growled, but Lance continued like he hadn’t been interrupted.

“If you don’t want to be with him, or even know him, that’s fine! Shiro, that’s your choice. But you should at least tell him, let him know so he can put himself together, and not wait around to see if you come back.”

“No!” Shiro said, voice rising close to a shout. “No, I don’t want to see him ever again, Lance!”

“I got his number,” Lance said, reaching inside his pocket for the napkin with the hastily scrawled information, opening it. “You could at least call him?” But then his heart stopped at what he saw written there.

“NO!” Shiro roared. “Lance, this is my life and my choice and this is what I’ve chosen. Let me do this how I want to, it’s none of your concern.”

“Shiro,” Lance said, voice weak.

Shiro didn’t stop to hear him. “He isn’t even my soulmate! He’s nothing to me, and he’s even less to you! Why do you care so much?”

“Shiro…” Lance said again, heartbeat racing in his ears, only to be drowned by Shiro once more.

“What has this got to do with you at all? Nothing, that’s what! It’s none of your damn business Lance, and you’d do well to stay out -”

“SHIRO!” Lance shouted.

Shiro stopped his pacing to face Lance. But Lance was staring at the piece of paper in his hands, unable to make out anything written, his hands were shaking so badly. But he’d already seen it, he knew what it said. He gulped. “It is my business.”

Before Shiro could ask him how, Lance walked over to him, thrusting the napkin into his hands. Shiro glanced at it to see a phone number, and the name Keith Gyeong.

Shiro started to ask how that meant anything to Lance, but he stopped he saw what Lance was doing.

Lance was, with trembling hands, taking the band off his arm. He was showing Shiro his left arm.

When he finally got it off, and tried to show it to Shiro, but he was shaking too much for Shiro to make it out what it said. Lance sniffled. Shiro grabbed Lance’s wrist… and then he saw.

His head snapped back to the napkin in his hands. Then back to Lance’s arm. Lance watched, holding back tears. He didn’t know how Shiro would react. React to the fact that…

They matched.

The napkin and Lance’s arm, they matched.

They were the same name.

Lance took a deep breath. “It is my business,” he said unsteadily, “because he’s my soulmate.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thank you to Zaa, for putting up with me while I am the worlds most indecisive person over this fic. But also fuck Zaa for making me realise the title is a thing from Harry Potter and now I hate it. Why Zaa... Why..  
> There should be about 4 or 5 chapters in total, so please stick with me as I continue to attempt to write!  
> Also major shoutout to [daddyroboarm](https://daddyroboarm.tumblr.com/post/154430952568/lance-goes-by-lance-because-his-real-name) for the "Lance is an acronym" headcanon. You should check out their blog, they're great.  
> Kudos and comments appreciated!


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance called Keith to talk about their soulmate situation, and the three have dinner.

After Lance’s soulmate reveal, things were tense between him and Shiro for a few days. Lance didn’t know where Shiro stood, what he wanted, or what he was thinking. Shiro usually told Lance everything, he was eager to talk out any of his problems with Lance. But this… this put a wedge between them that neither were used to.

After a few terse conversations, and a few sleepless nights, eventually Shiro relented and agreed to meet with Keith and discuss what to do. It was hard, like pulling teeth. But eventually they settled on discussing things with him, all three of them, to figure out what worked best for all three of them.

Soulmates were a tricky thing. Some were romantic and some were platonic, and it was hard to tell which was which. Everyone knew the stories of two people, so eager to rush into the Happily Ever After with their soulmates only to learn years later it wasn’t romantic and now they had ruined their platonic relationship too. Or some people, despite being soulmates, just couldn’t make it work. It wasn’t a guaranteed success. Lance didn’t want them to rush into anything with Keith, and risk ruining any budding relationships both he and Shiro had with him, or the relationship between Lance and Shiro.

There was a lot that could go wrong in a situation like this, and Lance wanted to do things right.

So, with the best of his skills, Lance bugged Shiro until he agreed to sit down and talk with Keith about being his soulmate. And, in typical Lance fashion, he organised possible whens and wheres, without ever speaking to Keith about it. Because wanting to do things and actually doing them are two very different things. Knowing that Keith was his soulmate made calling him so much harder. He was so much easier to talk to when he was a nameless stranger and not Lance’s soulmate.

Lance stared down at the phone in his hand, after work on Monday, and at the number scrawled into the napkin on the counter. He could do this. He could pick up the phone, call Keith and tell him they wanted to meet him. Except what if Keith wanted nothing to do with Lance, and only wanted Shiro? What if he and Shiro met and hit it off and Shiro left him for Keith? What if -

Lance stopped himself, and took a deep breath. None of that train of thought. He couldn’t let insecurities stop him now. Keith was his soulmate, and he wanted to meet him. And Shiro was Keith’s soulmate, the two of them needed to meet each other. They needed to have this conversation, and figure out what worked for all three of them. They had to try.

With another deep breath, Lance dialed the number and hit call.

Here goes nothing.

The phone rang long enough for Lance to be worried he wasn’t going to pick up. But right when Lance was about to give up hope, he picked up.

“Hello?” Keith said, and Lance had to stop for a moment to listen. That was his soulmates voice.

“Hello?” Keith said again. “Is this… Shiro?”

Wow, he sounded so hopeful. Had he been waiting for Shiro to call? But then, did he assume every call from a number he didn’t recognise was Shiro? Wow… he must have had an awkward few days! Lance hated to burst his bubble but, it needed to be done.

“Hi Keith!” Lance said, injecting cheer into his voice. “It’s Lance actually. I never gave you my name did I? I was the one who got your number after… yeah. After.” The cheer faded as Lance spoke. There was no way to be cheerful when telling a guy ‘yeah, I was there when your soulmate walked away from you!’

“Oh,” Keith responded, dejected. “You didn’t fix it. He doesn’t want anything to do with me, does he?”

Lance winced, and turned on his feet to pace the apartment anxiously. “Actually, we were hoping you’d have dinner with us soon. We want to talk to you about… well we want to figure this out. There’s a lot we should talk about. When are you free?”

“We?” Keith asked. “Why ‘we’?”

Lance knew this wasn’t going to be easy. But he really didn’t want to tell Keith he was Lance’s soulmate over the phone. Actually having to answer his question wasn’t fun.

“Well, honestly a lot of it is stuff we’d rather say face-to-face, which is why, y’know, dinner. It’s a pretty messy situation we’ve landed ourselves in and it’s probably best we all sort it out together and be on the same page. Is Thursday night good for you?”

“Why are you going to be there though?” Keith asked, sounding defensive and ready for a fight. “Isn’t this about me and Shiro?”

Lance fought to keep his voice neutral. “Yeah, but it’s also about me, because I’m Shiro’s boyfriend and this affects me too.” Lance was losing that fight, and ended up gritting out some of the words, his hold on the phone becoming tighter as he spoke. “So it’s going to be all three of us. Finding a solution. Together.”

The phone was silent for a moment.

“Just his boyfriend?” Keith asked “Or…?”

“I’m his soulmate,” Lance responded more tersely than needed. Shiro may not be his soulmate in return, but he was very protective of their relationship, and he was proud to be Shiro’s soulmate. He hated people questioning that. “He’s not mine, but I’m his. So you understand why we want to be…. Delicate when it comes to you and him and… Keith can you make it to dinner or not?”

Lance rubbed his eye with his free hand and he could swear he felt a headache coming on. He really didn’t like hiding it from Keith he was Lance’s soulmate, but he really _really_ couldn’t tell him that over the phone. There was just so many things wrong with that fundamentally. And he definitely couldn’t tell him what Shiro wanted. It was all too much.

Eventually Keith replied. “I’m working until 6 on Thursday but I can make it to dinner.”

“Awesome!” Lance beamed, chipper once more. “I’ll text you the address. Probably about 7 or 7:30pm.”

“Cool,” Keith responded. “I’ll see you then.”

“WAIT WAIT!” Lance really hoped Keith hadn’t hung up. “Just… I want you to like, really consider what you want out of Shiro… and me. Before Thursday. And prepare yourself. It probably won’t be a walk in the park.”

Lance’s words were greeted with silence and he feared Keith had already hung up. He quickly checked, but the call was still going. Then he heard Keith sigh. A sad, heavy sigh.

“Yeah,” he said, sounding dejected once more. “See you Thursday, Lance.”

Lance smiled, tightly. “See you Thursday, Keith.”

Lance hung up the phone, immediately launched himself on the couch and screamed into the pillow.

In all honesty, that went as well as could be expected, but it was still tough.

Ugh, Thursday was going to be even worse, wasn’t it? Lance could hardly wait.

Lance hadn’t wanted Shiro around when he made the call, and he was lucky today he working late. Lance lay on the couch, clutching a pillow tightly. He was still mentally running through how Thursday night would go when Shiro walked in.

“I got take out!” Shiro called as he walked in.

“What do you think I should make on Thursday?”

There was no response from Shiro for a moment as he left the take out containers in the kitchen, and walked over to Lance on the couch. Shiro lifted Lance’s legs, sat down, then dropped Lance’s legs in his lap.

“You called him?” Shiro asked, tense.

“Yup.” Lance responded tonelessly. “Oh whoops, I never texted him the address.” Lance took out his phone to do just that, as Shiro massaged his feet. Lance also sent a quick text out to Allura, Hunk and Pidge, letting them know what was happening. He’d called them when he and Shiro weren’t talking and filled them in. They’d all been good friends and supportive. He wouldn’t have been able to call Keith if not for Hunk’s encouraging texts all day in work.

“Lance, are you sure about this?” Shiro asked seriously.

Lance dropped his phone on his stomach. “Yes, Shiro. Totally sure.”

Shiro sighed. “I just… I don’t know what bringing him into our lives will do.”

Lance turned to regard Shiro. Really take him in. Shiro was focused on massaging Lance’s feet, probably deflecting, but Lance knew he was really worried. Lance needed to try.

“Shiro, he’s my soulmate. And you’re his. I feel like that’s a sure sign he’s meant to be in our lives in some way. And it’s up to us to try and figure out how.” Lance sat up, careful not remove his feet from Shiro’s (glorious and) gentle care. He leaned forward to take Shiro’s face in his hands. “You always said you’d support me if I met my soulmate.”

“I know, I just never expected it to go like this!” Shiro exclaimed.

Lance leaned forward to kiss him briefly. “You’re not going to lose me, ‘Kashi.” Shiro seemed to soften, hearing that reassurance. “And I won’t let you go without a fight either. But we still have to try this.”

Shiro let go of Lance’s feet (and Lance immediately missed it) to pull him closer. “Alright.” Shiro said. “I think you should make salmon for him. Your salmon is incredible.” Lance smiled at him and nodded, as much as he could this close to Shiro. He kissed Lance, hard, for a few moments.

“Can we eat dinner now?” Lance asked when they pulled apart.

Shiro laughed. “Please! I’m starving!”

 

* * *

Thursday came quicker than Keith would have liked. He didn’t know what to expect. He’d gotten no sleep since Lance had called him. He was distracted all day in work, even messed up an order or two because he couldn’t stop thinking about what might happen at dinner.

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, Keith’s shift ended. He took his time changing out of his uniform in the bathrooms at work, even brushed his teeth quickly and debated brushing his hair. He’d unintentionally chosen a long-sleeve shirt for the evening. Maybe it was a subconscious thing, hiding his soulmark tonight. Ever since the painful rejection the week before, he’d been more meticulous about keeping his arms covered. Keith stopped himself thinking too much about it, waved goodbye to his manager as he left the coffee shop, and hopped on his motorbike and headed towards Lance and Shiro’s place. The address Lance had texted him was on the other side of the city, and gave Keith a lot of time to think, and then try not to think.

It was just… Keith really didn’t know how he expected the evening to go. Maybe it was childish, but Keith figured he’d meet his soulmate and it would be easy. That he’d meet Takashi and that they’d both just click, click like Keith had never with anyone before, and be together and it would be easy. Maybe it was naive to think he’d get a clean and simple soulmate and they’d live happily ever after. He really hadn’t even entertained any other idea. The last thing he expected was his soulmate to be soulmates with someone else.

What would Shiro want? Would he give up being with his soulmate to be with Keith? He doubted it. Who would leave their soulmate for some random dude? And the fact that he’d not only outright rejected Keith, but had made no effort to contact him since? That made it pretty obvious to Keith where he stood.

Even after Lance had arranged this dinner, Keith heard nothing from Shiro.

Being optimistic, Keith would get to see Shiro but Shiro would remain in his relationship with Lance. It wasn’t ideal, but Keith would take any chance to see his soulmate and if that’s the hand he’d been dealt, he’d take it.

But Keith had never been optimistic. And his last encounter with Shiro destroyed any hopeful optimism he’d had.

So Keith was preparing himself for a night of awkward conversation and a gentle let down from both Lance and Shiro, who would then go about their lives and never spare him a thought ever again. Keith would go back to his boring life and try to piece his heart back together enough to move on. It would be fine.

Keith took a deep breath and gripped the handlebars tighter. He had to prepare himself for the worst, and he knew this night was going to be the worst.

He tried not to think too much about Lance. He was embarrassed by how he’d acted after Shiro walked away that day. Needing to be comforted by a stranger wasn’t something Keith was proud of and he wasn’t sure how Lance would act around him today.

He wasn’t even sure why he’d let Lance hug him that day. Or why he’d hugged back. Keith wasn’t a hugger. He’d never been a touchy-feely person but somehow letting Lance hug him felt right.

Maybe it was because Keith was in desperate need of comfort right then, and Lance was offering it. That would explain why he’d accepted the contact so easily, and why it made him feel better. Keith was incredibly vulnerable at that point. It made sense he’d acted like that. He just hoped Lance wasn’t expecting more of the same tonight. Keith shuddered at the thought of what would happen should Lance hug him again.

His thoughts went in circles as he drove until he finally arrived at the address. He checked the time on his phone. 7:08. He’d made decent time. He looked up and saw he was at some fancy apartment building in the richer part of town. Keith felt suddenly inadequate, in his ripped jeans and ratty oversized T-shirt. He’d tied a red bandana above his knee because it felt cool, but now he felt like a dumb teenager rebelling against his parents or something. Not the semi-sufficient 25 year old he actually was. Oh shit, he didn’t bring anything with him. Didn’t actual adults bring dessert with them when they went to dinner? Or at least a bottle of wine? Keith hadn’t brought anything, and it was already too late to go and grab something. God, he hadn’t even walked in the door and he was already fucking this up.

He let out a loud groan, kicked out his bike's kickstand, as a way to work out frustration but still be practical, and started to walk inside. Better get this disaster of a night over with quickly.

He got to the door and realised he didn’t know which number they were in. He didn’t see Shiro’s name on the list, and he didn’t know Lance’s last name. He whipped his phone out and sent Lance a text telling him he was at the door. Lance responded quickly with the apartment number, and then the door buzzed open. Keith quickly made his way up the stairs, his heartbeat hammering in his ears. Being here made him a thousand times more nervous. He wasn’t sure he could go through with this.

Before he could back out, he was at the door. Taking a final, steadying breath in preparation, Keith knocked.

The brief silence before the door opened felt eternal.

But it ended when Lance swung the door open, a nervous smile on his face.

“Keith!” He said brightly. “Hi! Glad you made it, come on in!” Lance moved to let Keith inside.

“I don’t think I did a good job introducing myself last time we met, or on the phone. I’m Lance Espinosa!”

Lance stuck out his hand for Keith to shake, which he did as he stepped inside the apartment, It smelled of food being cooked and cool air freshner. Lance was wearing tight jeans and a light blue shirt that contrasted well with his dark skin. He had a matching band on his left arm. He looked incredibly coordinated, like he had matching bands for every outfit. Keith tugged at his long sleeves.

“Keith Gyeong,” Keith responded. Lance was still holding his hand.

“I know,” Lance said, with a small sad smile, letting go of Keith almost reluctantly.  “You wrote it on your note.”

“Right…” Keith said. Well, at least he knew going it it was going to be awkward.

They stood for a moment, in the awkward silence before Lance snapped back to himself.

“Here, let me take your coat! Shiro’s in the kitchen, looking after the dinner for me.”

“Sorry,” Keith said, shrugging out of his jacket and handing it to Lance. “I should have brought wine or something.”

“Oh not at all,” Lance waved off his comment. “We have more than enough here, don’t you worry. Plus you’re driving, it wouldn’t be fair to drink your wine in front of you! Now come on, let’s not keep Shiro waiting.”

Lance lead the way out of the hallway, but Keith hesitated, playing with his fraying fingerless gloves. His stomach was doing somersaults and he felt slightly dizzy. He couldn’t do this, he couldn’t meet Shiro. He couldn’t deal with being rejected again.

He didn’t have a choice though, because Shiro was waiting for them at the corner. Lance touched Shiro’s shoulder but continued into the kitchen.

“You must be Keith.” Shiro said with a tight smile that didn’t meet his eyes. “Nice to meet you.” He too offered his hand, and Keith’s shook as he went to meet it. Fuck, he should not be so nervous just to touch his soulmate but he was. His gloves meant there wasn’t much skin-on-skin, but when he felt his fingers brush Shiro’s wrist he couldn’t hold back a shiver at the sensation. His _soulmate_.

“Hi,” Keith replied, not trusting his voice to say more. His throat felt like it was gluing itself together and he couldn’t speak. His hands were still trembling from the handshake.

Shiro had clearly been expecting more because he looked uncomfortable. He coughed and said “Thanks for coming. We appreciate your willing to talk to us.”

Keith’s throat was still made of glue, so he cleared it and replied with a strangled. “Yeah.”

Fuck, he was ruining this. He knew this was going to be a disaster, but he didn’t have to make it that way! God, he was an idiot.

Shiro, to his credit, made one more effort. “Hope you like fish! Lance is making salmon tonight.”

“Fish is good. I love fish.” Keith responded.

“I’m glad,” Shiro smiled. “It won’t be ready for another few minutes, why don’t you sit in the living room? I can get you a drink if you like?”

Yes. A drink would hopefully cure the throat-glue Keith had contracted.

“Sure. Do you have Sprite?”

“Let me check,” Shiro replied. “You go make yourself comfortable, I’ll be back in a second with your drink.”

Keith nodded and Shiro walked toward the kitchen. Keith turned to the living room and sat on the couch. It was a large open plan apartment, with a long breakfast bar separating the kitchen and the living room. The living room was a wide open area, with a black coffee table, and L-shaped couch and the biggest TV Keith had ever seen mounted on the wall. The far wall was entirely glass. The place felt open and kind of sterile, if Keith was being honest. All the walls and most the furniture was white, with little to no decoration around the room. It didn’t feel like a home at all, and more like a picture in a magazine. Keith definitely didn’t feel relaxed here. He perched on the edge of the couch, worried if he sat back he’d somehow ruin the expensive leather, and waited for Shiro to return.

He could hear furious whispering coming from the kitchen. It ended a few seconds before Shiro emerged, a wide, forced smile on his face and two glasses in his hands.

“Here’s your drink,” Shiro said, setting it down before moving to the other branch of the couch, facing Keith but a distance away. Great.

Keith happily took a large gulp of the drink, drinking nearly half of it.

Shiro laughed. “You thirsty?”

“Throat’s a little dry,” Keith replied, sheepish.

Shiro hummed and nodded, but didn’t say anything more for a minute. More long and uncomfortable silence. Keith took another sip of his drink and the sound of his swallowing seemed to reverberate throughout the silent room. The only other noise was Lance in the kitchen.

Just when Keith was about to give up once more on the evening, Shiro asked

“So, you drove here did you? What do you drive?”

It was a basic conversation starter, but Keith took it.

“Yeah, I have a motorbike,” he said. “Kinda old but it gets me from A to B.”

“A motorbike?” Shiro seemed surprised. Maybe a little impressed? “Wow… How long have you had it?”

“I’ve had this one since I was 19 I think so… Six years” Keith said. “I spent a lot of time repairing it when I first got it too.”

“You must be pretty good, if it held out this long!” Shiro said, and Keith tried not to glow at the praise. “Are you a mechanic?”

“Uh, no… not really,” Keith said. “I just couldn’t afford to get it fixed so I did what I could. I guess I have some basic skills but nothing official.”

Keith really didn’t want to go into his history of issues with schools and moving and foster homes, not to mention dropping out of community college, and the answer to what Shiro asked kind of touched on those topics. Keith didn’t know what he’d say if Shiro asked more.

Thankfully he didn’t, because right then Lance called from the kitchen.

“Dinner’s ready! Come get it while it’s hot!”

Shiro stood. Keith went to follow him.

Lance stood at the breakfast bar, he had a dishtowel over one shoulder and was placing a plate on the side of the bar closest to Shiro and Keith. When he got closer, Keith saw two plates on the kitchen side. Guess he was sitting, facing them. Shiro walked around to the kitchen and joined Lance, loosely wrapping an arm around Lance’s waist and pulled him close for a brief hug as he passed. Keith avoided staring at them and sat down on the stool.

“Let me get us some drinks.” Lance said, fidgeting. “Keith, you’ll have a glass of wine before you go. Do you prefer red or white?”

“A small glass, please.” Keith said. “And white.”

Lance nodded and turned back to the kitchen.

The food looked and smelled incredible. It looked like pan fried salmon with broccoli and a small serving of boiled potatoes.

“The food looks good, Lance,” Keith complimented when Lance returned with their drinks and sat down directly opposite him.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Lance waved off his comments once again, but he appeared to blush slightly. “It’s just honey garlic salmon. Nothing fancy.” Keith smiled at him. Lance smiled back before saying “Well, what are you waiting for? Dig in!”

So they all did. It tasted even better than it smelled. Keith couldn’t stop the moan that escaped as the food hit his tongue. Lance chuckled at his outburst.

They chewed in silence for a moment, and it was somewhat tense, as if they all remembered suddenly what they were here for.

“I thought,” Lance said between bites, “we could leave the more serious stuff until after we ate.”

Keith glanced at Shiro, to see what he thought of that. Shiro seemed very intent on his meal and didn’t move his gaze from it.

“Sure,” Keith said and he hoped the fact that he was eating excused his voice being strangled.

Lance just nodded, focusing his attention on Keith. “Until then, why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?”

“Uh, alright.” Keith said, wishing he could do anything but. There was nothing nice or light to tell about himself. Very little suited for a nice dinner conversation. “I’m 25. Originally from Texas but moved here when I was about 13. Been working as a barista for about 4 years. I was telling Shiro earlier about my motorcycle that I like to fix and play with. Other than that, my only other hobby is working out.” Keith paused to take another bite. “I.... uh I don’t really what else to say.” He laughed nervously.

Lance still hadn’t looked away from Keith. “What about school? Where did you go?”

Keith cringed slightly. No avoiding it now. “Community college for a while, but it didn’t work out.” He was nervously toying with the veg on his plate now, but Lance didn’t seem shocked or disapproving, which was the reaction Keith usually got.

“Did you not like the course, or do you not think further education is for you?” He asked, seemingly genuinely curious and judgement free.

“Little bit of column A, little bit of column B.” Keith shrugged.

Lance nodded. “Some people just don’t like it. Nothing wrong with that.”

There was another moment's silence while they all continued to eat before Lance spoke.

“I should probably tell you a little about us, huh? Well I am also 25 and work in a big marketing firm. I’m part of their social media team so I do some remote work for companies, do their social media for them. Trust me, it’s not actually as fun as it sounds. Shiro here is ancient at 27,” Shiro was still focused solely on his plate, he didn’t even look up when Lance teased him. “He’s a trainer at a gym across town, doing work with other amputees. It’s not physical therapy exactly, but for people who want to get back into working out _after_ their physical therapy.”

That was unexpected. It fit though, even if Keith found it intriguing. “Which gym?” He asked Shiro.

Shiro glances up at him briefly, before turning his focus back to his nearly empty plate. “Fitness Factory Extreme” he answered quietly.

Keith’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s a huge gym! It’s really expensive too, I don’t know how anyone can afford to go there!”

Shiro smiled ruefully. “Yeah, pay’s pretty good too.”

Keith nodded. “Explains how you guys can afford a place like this!” He said.

Both Shiro and Lance’s heads turned to him then.

“What?” Lance said. “Oh no, this isn’t our place. We could never afford a place like this!”

Keith looked between them in confusion. “...What?”

Shiro sat up in his seat and actually faced Keith for the first time since they sat down. “This belongs to our friend Allura. She let us borrow it for tonight since she’s going to be out of town.”

That only made Keith more confused. “But why?” He asked.

“I better clean up! Are you finished?” Lance leapt from his seat, looking nervous. He picked up Keith and Shiro’s plates, as well as his own. He ignored the fact that there still food on every plate. “You look finished, I’ll get started on the dishes.”

Shiro smiled at Lance as he hurried away with such utter affection, it made Keith’s heart hurt. “Lance didn’t think it would be fair to bring you into our home. He thought it would be too much for you, as an outsider, to be surrounded by our life, photos of us, a reminder of us all night. It’s our home, y’know? He figured it would be better to go somewhere neutral.”

That surprised Keith. He had been wondering about it. The apartment didn’t seem to suit them, from what little he’d seen but that hadn’t stopped him wondering. Which direction was their bedroom? How long had they lived together? Had they had sex on the couch he’d been sitting on? Learning it wasn’t their home did ease those fears and he felt slightly more comfortable.

“That was really thoughtful,” he said to Lance as he returned. Unnecessary, but thoughtful. “Thank you.”

Lance blushed and hid his face in his glass of wine, his blush hidden by the red reflection.

“That kind of explains why this apartment is so far out!” Keith joked. “I was wondering why you came the cafe twice in two hours if you lived on the other side of the city!”

Lance and Shiro smiled at that. “No, we actually live super close to the coffeeshop.” Lance said. “Allura is rolling in dough, so she can afford the gas in and out every day.”  

The tension was starting to ease a little, they were starting to get a little more comfortable with each other. Not quite there yet, but getting there. Keith knew they were here tonight for a reason but decided to put it off for a few more moments.

“Can I ask about the two of you? How long have you been together?”

“A long ass time,” Lance grinned, turning to Shiro. “Since high school.”

“Whoa,” Keith said, stunned. “That is a long time!”

The two were gazing at each other with sickeningly lovey expressions. This time Keith couldn’t stop staring, or stop the jealousy that flared, but he tried to ignore it.

“We were together for about a year before Shiro even knew I was his soulmate,” Lance teased.

“Hey!” Shiro exclaimed, but he was smiling and there was no anger in his voice, like they’d had this argument a thousand times. “It’s not my fault you didn’t tell me your full name!”

“What do you mean?” Keith asked.

“‘Lance’ is a nickname,” Lance said as Shiro leaned forward to let Keith read the name on his arm.

“Leandro Alejandro Núñez Cuesta Espinosa” Keith read. Lance cringed slightly at his terrible pronunciation, and Keith gave an apologetic smile.

“So,” Shiro continued, “when he introduced himself as ‘Lance’, I thought ‘that’s not my soulmates name!’, y’know, as any normal person would. I didn’t immediately assume Lance was an acronym.” He glared jokingly at Lance

Lance rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t until my graduation that he realised. And even then he didn’t tell me for a week!”

“You realised when they called his name out?” Keith asked Shiro.

Shiro snorted. “I wish. No, they called his name as Lance Espinosa, that’s how everyone knew him. No, it was when his mom was saying something about how she proud she was of her Leandro that it kinda clicked for me.”

“And why didn’t you tell him?”

“I didn’t want to take away from his graduation day,” Shiro said. “And I kind of wanted to like, double check before telling him. It wasn’t easy trying to subtly ask him what his full name was.” He chuckled as he said it.

“It was kind of a big shock for me,” Lance said. “I knew he wasn’t my soulmate and it really took me by surprise. But, I loved Shiro, so we made it work.”

“Must have worked, we’re still here,” Shiro said, smiling at his soulmate.

“Must have,” Lance agreed but he didn’t smile. “Which bring us to why we’re here. Keith…”

Whatever easy atmosphere they’d just built vanished when he said that.

Keith cleared his throat. “Yeah.” He said, resigned even more now to being turned away. They were so in love, he wasn’t going to be with Shiro.

“So…” Lance started. “I’m Shiro’s soulmate. And Shiro is yours.”

Keith nodded and prepared himself for the stinging rejection that was about to come. Keith couldn’t look at either them, didn’t want to see the pity in the gaze, so he stared at the wine glass in his hand.

“But, the thing is,” Lance continued. “Well… It’s that…” He cut himself off suddenly.

Out of the corner of his vision, Keith saw Shiro reach to rub an arm up and down Lance’s back. He didn’t know why Lance was getting choked up when he got off easy here. He still didn’t look up at them, couldn’t bear to.

“This isn’t exactly a typical soulmate situation.” Lance said, somewhat plaintively.

“It’s fine,” Keith said harshly. “I can just go. It’s alright.”

“What?!” Lance exclaimed. He immediately reached out and grasped Keith’s hands. “No, no! We’re not asking you to go! Don’t go! Please!”

Keith finally looked up and saw how desperate Lance truly was. It confused Keith, but what confused him more was how Lance touching him made him calm down. He was no longer anxious. How was having a stranger touch him so soothing?

“What is it then?” Keith asked, voice soft, gripping Lance’s fingers just as tightly as Lance was holding him. “What do you want from me?”

Lance took his hands back, but only to reach up for the band on his arm. Keith was once again baffled.

“We want you to be part of our lives, Keith.” Lance said, voice wavering. He leaned forward to show Keith his now bare arm. “Because you’re my soulmate.”

It was like everything in Keith froze, and went at the speed of light all at the same time.

His head snapped from Lance’s face to his arm, where Keith’s name sat, plain as day. He snapped his head back up to Lance’s face again, then back down to his arm. Then to his face.

Keith simply couldn’t comprehend it. He was Lance’s soulmate.

He, _Keith,_ was Lance’s soulmate.

What?

He reached out to pull Lance’s arm closer to him, to get a proper look. Truly verify that was _his_ name on _Lance’s_ arm. He was careful not to touch the lettering though. To touch someone’s soulmark was incredibly personal and taboo, if done by the wrong person.

But, upon closer inspection, there was no denying that was his name. He almost wanted to say how they could they be sure, but with Shiro as his soulmate, and Lance as Shiro’s… it almost made sense?

He tore his eyes away from Lance’s arm to glance at Shiro, who looked unsure and uncomfortable.

“What,” Keith croaked before clearing his throat and trying again. He glanced between the two men opposite him. “What does this mean?”

Lance retracted his arm, which Keith forgot he was still holding, pulled his sleeve back down and said “I guess that’s for us to decide, right?”

Keith still felt like he was reeling. His head felt like it was spinning, he wasn’t sure the ground underneath him was still solid. This… this changed everything.

This whole time he thought he was only here for Shiro, for his soulmate. He hadn’t considered whose soulmate he was if he wasn’t Shiro’s. All he wanted his whole life, until recently, was to be with Takashi Shirogane. But now to find he was someone else’s soulmate? It was like learning he had a new limb he never know about.

He didn’t know what this meant at al! For him alone, and for him with Shiro. And Lance.

It was too much. Keith felt like he was going to get sick.

“Hang on, give me a second to… to process this, hang on.” He held his head in his hands, tightly gripping his hair for support. He needed something to tether him to himself. He bent over and felt the cool counter of the breakfast bar against his skin. It soothed him. He spent a few minutes taking deep breaths before he could look back up at the others.

Lance and Shiro both looked concerned, but their relief was obvious when they Keith was no longer falling apart.

“You alright?” Shiro asked.

Keith nodded. “What… what are we going to do about us?”

Lance turned to Shiro, who nodded.

“We want to take this… slowly,” Lance began. “We don’t know each other yet, and I don’t want us to jump into anything too soon.” Keith nodded in agreement so Lance continued. “I think it would be best if we took a few months to get to know each other. Both one-on-one, you and I, and you and Shiro, as well as all three of us before we decide anything.”

Lance was gesturing with his hands as he spoke, large open movements. When he finished he clenched his hands together. Keith realised it was because he was incredibly nervous.

“That,” Keith said, considering Lance’s proposal, “makes a lot sense.”

Lance seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

“It’s just..” He said. “Well, Shiro and I have been together a long time. And we really love each other. And we want to get to you know, and for you to be involved with us, somehow. But if we jump straight into the deep end… It could end badly for all three of us.” Lance was wringing his hands together once more. “What if one of the soulmates it platonic, and we ruin it because we thought romantic? Or we keep it platonic but miss out on an amazing romantic relationship? What if two of us love one, and not each other and -”

“LANCE!” Shiro interrupted, holding Lance’s hands before he wrung his fingers off from their hinges. “Lance breathe,” He said, voice soothing. “We know what you mean. Keith knows, he understands why you want to take it slow.”

Lance took a deep, shaking breath. Oh god, was he about to cry?

“Really,” Keith jumped in, hoping to stave off the tears. “I definitely feel like I need more time to get to you know you two before committing to anything.”

Lance sniffed. “Yeah?”

Keith hated seeing him like this, he wanted to help. But he didn’t know how to comfort anyone, and he definitely didn’t know how to comfort Lance. “Yeah,” he replied softly. Then, on an urge he couldn’t explain, he laid his hand out on the table, reaching for Lance.

Lance seemed confused by it for a second before smiling, and reaching to hold Keith’s hand.

“Okay.” Lance said. “How would you feel about coming over to our actual place next week for a movie and some take out?”

Keith grinned. “I’ll bring a few beers and it’ll be perfect.”

Lance grinned, and Shiro smiled too, clapping Lance’s back.

“Sounds like a plan!” He said. “Do you two want dessert, or should we clean up and head out?”

“I think I should head,” Keith said. “I’ve got work early tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Shiro said easily, but Lance was pouting next to him.

Just like that, the night ended very quickly. Shiro and Lance saw him to the door, where Keith shrugged his coat back on, Lance gave him a quick hug before he left, Shiro clasped his shoulder and he was out the door.

He had to put all of this out of mind for the drive home, but he had a lot to think about over the next few days.

 

* * *

 

Keith left, so Lance and Shiro hurried to tidy Allura’s kitchen before they went home for the night. It was later than Lance expected, he wasn’t sure how so much time had passed so quickly!

He hopped into the passenger seat of Shiro’s car, careful of the leftovers in his lap. When Shiro slammed the door behind him, the two paused to grin at each other.

“It’s really happening, isn’t it?” Lance asked, excitement evident in his voice.

“Yeah,” Shiro replied, his grin wide. “It really is.”

No matter how wary they were of adding another person to their relationship, even in a small way, the dinner was a success. And they both felt, some sort of pull towards Keith. Whatever it was, he was meant to be in their lives.

This was going to work, Lance was sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AGAIN major thanks to the awesome [ Zaa ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/LillithBlack/pseuds/buckywithegoodhair) for being my biggest fan and voice of reason. 
> 
> Why is this chapter so long? I don't know I just couldn't stop. 
> 
> And thanks so much for the comments, kudos and subs! Y'all are the best <3


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro and Lance work through their anxieties about their upcoming date with Keith. And then, the boys Netflix and Chill... kinda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> remember when I said this fic would be 4 or 5 chapters? well I seem to have thrown that out the window... whoops. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

“So, are you nervous for your next date?” Hunk asked.

Lance handed him the bowl of batter he’d just finished mixing. “Yes, but in a good way, I think.” He replied.

It was Saturday, two days after Lance and Shiro’s date/not-date with Keith, and Lance was baking.

He wasn’t stress baking, that was Hunks thing. He wasn’t stressed! But he was with Hunk, and he was baking. It was fine.

“Can you be nervous in a good way?” Hunk asked, expertly re-mixing the bowl Lance had handed him.

“‘Course you can,” Lance said. “It’s when excitement and nervousness mix and you get nervous but in a good way!”

Hunk rolled his eyes. “Alright. And you think it went alright?”

Lance jumped up to sit on the counter and watch as Hunk continued to stir.

“I mean, it could have been better. It was.. It was a first date. It felt like we talked for ages, but didn’t say anything.” He was swinging his legs as he spoke, lightly banging them off the cabinets underneath and Hunk winced.

“It was the awkward ice breaker, and boring get-to-know-you stuff but it was a start. And know that it’s out of the way, we can get to actually be more comfortable around each other.”

“Yeah?” Hunk asked. “And Shiro?”

Lance sighed. “I don’t think he exactly comfortable yet. Or thrilled at the idea. But since he’s met Keith and talked to him? He’s mellowed out about the whole thing.”

“Well that’s good!” Hunk said, bending down to place the brownies in the oven. “I know you were pretty stressed out about it.”

“I know,” Lance replied. “I won’t lie, I am still a lil’ concerned but… it’s up to him and Keith now isn’t it?” Hunk began cleaning around Lance, who had picked up the discarded batter bowl and started to lick the batter off his fingers.

“I gotta say Lance, I’m really impressed with how mature you’re being about this whole thing!”

Lance preened at the praise from his best friend. But, his voice took a serious tone when he responded “He’s my soulmate Hunk. I’ve been waiting my whole life to meet him. I can’t mess it up now.”

“You won’t,” Hunk reassured, resting a hand on Lance’s arm. “I know it’ll work out for you, buddy."

Lance smiled.

“When are you seeing him again?”

“Next Saturday,” Lance said. “He’s coming over to watch some movies and drink a few beers.”

“Oh, so like a Netflix and Chill kinda thing?” Hunk said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. 

Lance snorted. “If all goes well,” he joked.

“Nice. So, uh.. When do we get to meet him?” Hunk asked. Lance immediately kicked him away.

“NOOOO!” He wailed, as Hunk chuckled next to him. “Give me time to freakin’ BREATHE Hunk, oh my god! Let me figure out what we are first!”

Hunk continued laughing. “Nah man, I know. But I’ll still meet him before Pidge, though, right?”

Lance snorted. “Sure thing, pal. If that’s what you want.”

“Nothing would make me happier.”

They lapsed into a comfortable silence for a moment.

“Are the brownies nearly ready?”

“Fifteen more minutes, bud.”

“Uggghhhhh.”

 

* * *

 

 

Shiro was at work. The gym was empty so Shiro took that time to work out. It was pretty common for the other trainers to do their usual work out while on the clock. For some reason, it made the gym-goers feel more at ease around them. As if seeing them in action made them more trustworthy when it came to their jobs. If a customer was to walk in right now, they’d be more annoyed that the squat rack was in use, not that the trainer was using it. 

Working out helped Shiro calm his nerves, and he was nervous for his and Lance’s upcoming date with Keith. It was three days away, but it was all Shiro could think about. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since they agreed to the date. Was it even fair to call it a date? It’s not like they were actually _dating,_ not yet anyway.

He’d been anxious about the first one, sure, but that was more because Lance had to convince him to do it, and he was certain it was going to end badly. He’d tried, for Lance. He’d wanted things to go well, for Lance’s sake. Shiro still wanted nothing to do with this stranger, just because Shiro was his soulmate. So,he put on a brave front for Lance and this stranger, put his best foot forward and prepared for an awkward night that ended in a shouting match and tears. He’d been so prepared for Keith to resent Lance, for Lance to be jealous of Keith. _Shiro_ was jealous Keith was Lance’s soulmate, and not his own. The whole evening felt like a disaster waiting to happen, and Shiro was in the eye of the storm.

When Lance showed Keith his soulmark, he’d held his breath. Shiro was waiting for the confusion and anger to come. To see Keith’s non-reaction? That was a surprise. But what was the biggest surprise, was that Shiro was excited to see him again.

And he couldn’t explain what had changed, or why. All he knew was, now? After meeting Keith properly? After talking to him, seeing him, being around him? He felt something.

He wasn’t sure what. But something inside him, a feeling he couldn’t place or name, reached out when he saw Keith.

Sure, they hadn’t really been able to talk much, or they did, but it was all… filler. Not to mention they’d both, clearly, been bracing for the worst. But somehow, even after that little chat, something in Shiro woke up and said _yes, it’s him. He’s special._

When they left after the dinner, Shiro could practically feel Lance’s buzzing excitement through the soulbond. It was contagious. He hadn’t been able to hold back his own grin, his own excitement, seeing how happy Lance was.

So, now Shiro was left, more nervous for their second date than he had been for the first. Because, this time, he was invested.

It sucked.

He shook his head, trying to focus on squatting with 125 pounds on the back. He couldn’t afford to be distracted doing this. He continued his work out, pausing occasionally to chat with patrons of the gym, and the cleaning crew.

People always seemed surprised when he stopped to ask how they were doing, and he understood it to an extent. He was intimidating looking, with the muscles, and the scars. But honestly, a lot of them should know by know. He was a people person! And, it was part of his job, to make sure none of the workouts were too difficult for the person doing it! A lot of the people here had lost limbs, or just plain injured themselves and temporarily lost the use of a limb, and it was important they didn’t put too much strain on themselves when working out.

Shiro loved his job because of that. People saw him working out with prosthetic, and it gave others the courage to do as well.

He loved being a positive influence on people like him. He loved to see the difference in their personality after they learned they could be just as kickass now, as they had been before they lost their accidents.

It was awesome.

Shiro glanced at the clock. His shift was nearly over. He could start heading out soon, and be back home with his soulmate. Lance had been baking again with Hunk and Pidge. He claimed to have made dinner but, but Shiro had a sneaking suspicion dinner was just going to be cookies and brownie batter. Sometimes, Lance was like a fourteen year-old, like he’d never grown up. Shiro loved that about him.

With that, Shiro began to pack up and eagerly waited until he could head home.

 

* * *

 

 

The day before the date, Lance came home from work in a panic.

“I need to clean this whole place,” he said, aghast as soon as he walked in the door. He dropped his bag (not helping the state of the apartment in any way whatsoever) and yelled “SHIRO! GET THE MOP!”

Shiro, who was laying on the couch shot up. “I mopped the floor yesterday, it should be fine?" 

“We can’t have Keith come into our home when it has a two-day dirty floor! Get to work!”

And Shiro, because he was wonderful, didn’t say anything. He knew Lance enough to know not to argue, he just got up and dutifully got the mop. God, Lance loved him so much.

But, there was no time to ruminate on that. He had cleaning to do. And so, he got to it. Lance emptied the cupboards, washed down every surface in the kitchen, vacuumed the couch, plumped the pillows, sprayed Febreze on the couch, vacuumed under the couch and the top of the TV, and was back cleaning the kitchen when Shiro returned with the mop.

“I mopped the bathroom and the hallway, but I think we should -” Shiro stopped, presumably because he saw what Lance was going. “Why are you vacuuming the top of the cupboards?”

“Because they’re dirty,” Lance grunted. “I need to clean them.”

Shiro sighed from behind Lance. “Get down from there, kitten. Please.”

Lance grumbled, but did as he was asked. Shiro quickly pulled Lance against his chest, wrapping an arm around his waist with the other tangled in his hair.

“It’s like you’re a real kitten,” he chuckled, “getting stuck in hard to reach places.”

Lance just groaned into Shiro’s neck in response.

“I get why you’re nervous, I do,” Shiro said, “but you’re going overboard. Keith won’t hate us if the kitchen isn’t clean enough.”

“I know,” Lance said, voice muffled by Shiro’s skin. “But I just have all this… nervous energy. I need to do something with it.”

“I know you do, kitten. I know you do.” Shiro pulled back slightly, to look Lance in the eyes. “How about this, you mop the kitchen, because you might as well now, then go take a shower and relax. I’m gonna go to the store, grab some drinks and chips and stuff for tomorrow.”

“FOOD!” Lance gasped. “How could I forget to get food?”

“It’s alright,” Shiro reassured. “We’re getting take out, remember? But I’ll go grab some finger food to be safe. But, importantly, you gotta relax, alright?”

Lance buried his head in Shiro’s neck again. “Alright. I’ll try.”

Shiro kissed his head. “We’ll be alright.”

“Why am I more nervous about tomorrow?”

“Because this time he’s coming to our home,” Shiro replied, his hands running up and down Lance’s sides to soothe him. “Now it feels more serious, like it’s actually the start of something. We’re not just meeting him to see where we stand. We’re in it.”

Lance groaned again. “Oh god, I need to finish cleaning like, right now.”

Shiro laughed. “I better get out of your way.”

They pulled away from each other once more, but very quickly Shiro leaned back in, to kiss Lance.

He melted into the kiss, finding, as always, exactly what he needed in Shiro’s lips. It was just a simple press of the lips, but it eased most of Lance’s worry away.

Lance pushed Shiro away lightly. “Get out of here,” he said softly. “We’ve got a date to get ready for."

Shiro stepped back, reaching for his car keys and coat. “Don’t forget to wash and relax, alright?”

Lance just waved him away, turning back to the mop. This apartment was going to be spotless god damnit.

By the time Shiro was back, Lance had plopped onto the couch, candles lit, glass of wine on the coffee table, face mask applied, crappy rom-com the TV.

He heard Shiro put away the drinks and snacks. He handed Lance a pint of ice cream as he joined him on the couch.

“I knew there was a reason I loved you,” Lance said, not looking away from the TV, but eagerly accepting the ice cream and spoon from Shiro.

Shiro snorted lightly. “Feeling any better?”

“No,” Lance pouted. Shiro gave him a disbelieving look. “A little, maybe.”

“Good,” Shiro said, kissing Lance’s forehead as he cuddled in beside him, feet propped against the coffee table. Lance lay his head on Shiro’s shoulder, eating his ice cream.

They watched the movie in silence together, both taking bites out of Lance’s ice cream, as if it were any other night. But Lance couldn’t forget the knot in his stomach. He wished he could forget the nervousness but it wouldn’t let him go.

Just as the movie was ending, and Lance was about to wash the product off his face, he got a text.

Keith:

**What time should I come over at tomorrow? Really looking forward to it btw! :)**

Lance’s heart jumped at the text, but smiled. 

“Shiro?” He called. “We doing anything tomorrow? Keith wants to know what time he should come over at.”

“Uhh...” Shiro shouted back. “No, we don’t have plans. He can come whenever.”

“Thanks, that’s super specific,” Lance mumbled, typing his reply.

Lance:

_Any time after like 6pm should be alright. That cool with you?_

Keith:

**That’s perfect! I can probably be there at like 6:30**

Lance quickly text him the address and said

_Awesome! I’m excited to see you! :D_

Keith:

**See you tomorrow! <3**

The little heart made Lance squeal and jump up and down on his toes. He was like a sixteen year old girl. But, he couldn’t help it.

Lance:

_See you tomorrow <3_

Lance finished up in the bathroom and joined Shiro in the bedroom.

“He’ll be here around 6:30 tomorrow.”

“Perfect,” Shiro said, moving to kiss Lance. Lance expected a simple goodnight kiss, but then Shiro bit Lance’s lip and grabbed a handful of his ass. Lance moaned into him. Shiro used his grip and pulled Lance closer to him. Lance could feel Shiro’s erection growing.

“Really?” Lance asked against Shiro’s lips.

Shiro nodded, and trailed his hands down Lance’s legs, and pulled. Lance lifted his legs up and wrapped them around Shiro’s waist. Shiro kept kissing Lance, getting hungrier with each pass of his tongue.

Lance giggled as Shiro dropped him onto the bed and began to pull Lance’s boxers down, peppering kisses and bites as he did so.

“I wasn’t expecting this tonight.”

“Are you complaining?” Shiro asked, pausing his assault of biting Lance’s inner thigh.

“Never,” Lance teased.

But, hey, they each had their own ways of getting rid of that nervous energy.

 

* * *

 

Shiro wished more than anything that Lance wasn’t nervous. When Lance was nervous or anxious, he would pick up on every small thing and blow it up into something new to freak out about. Normally, Shiro wouldn’t mind. He’d been with Lance long enough how to deal with him when he got like this. But Lance being this nervous meant Shiro couldn’t show how nervous _he_ was.

And he was incredibly nervous.

It was such a stark contrast of last time, when he’d been worried for Lance’s sake and had cared very little about the stranger they’d be meeting. But now, that small part of him that had awoken, was vibrating with the thought of seeing Keith again. And Shiro didn’t know what to do with that.

So, he sat quietly as Lance paced the kitchen and mumbled to himself in rapid Spanish. It was 6:32pm and Lance was convinced Keith wasn’t going to show up. 

Shiro knew he should be the calm one, he should tell Lance that of course Keith was going to come, he’d been excited about it. Shiro knew he should be the voice of reason Lance needed. But he couldn’t even be the voice of reason for himself.

He wasn’t afraid per se, but he also couldn’t move or speak. He just sat, staring at a crack on a tile on the kitchen floor, trying to control his breathing. It wasn’t going well.

Then, Lance’s phone beeping with a text made both their heads snap up.

Lance read the text, and immediately all the tension in his shoulders fell away. “He got held up in work. He should be here in ten more minutes.” He sighed then, dropping his phone back on the countertop.

However, that didn’t calm Shiro. Now his heart was going to beat out of his chest with how fast it was racing. Keith was on his way.

“Lance,” Shiro croaked. “C’mere.”

Lance, to his credit, didn’t hesitate in complying, concern painted across his face. He just quickly crossed the kitchen and stood between Shiro’s legs, where he sat at the table, and draped his arms around Shiro’s shoulders.

“What is it, handsome?”

Lance’s presence so close helped Shiro feel more grounded in himself. Shiro took a deep inhale from Lance’s neck, bathing in that smell was that home and love and Lance.

“Just… nervous.” Shiro replied.

“Really?” Lance asked, incredulous. “You? Because of Keith?”

“No need to rub it in,” Shiro chided softly, teasing.

“Sorry,” Lance said, pressing his cheek to Shiro’s temple. “It’s just… the last thing I expected from today.”

Shiro wrapped his arms around his soulmates middle (maybe a bit lower down than ‘middle’, but if his hands were on Lance’s ass, hey, that was allowed) and said “It might be because… I feel like I have some sort of expectation. I’m his soulmate. What if I can’t live up to that?”

“Nope.” Lance said firmly. “None of that _comedora de mierda_ , you’re incredible and it took one look at you for Keith to know that.” Shiro snorted. “Besides,” Lance continued, “you shouldn’t put any of that pressure on yourself. We’re just figuring things out here. It’s not like Keith wants you run down to City Hall for a Confirming Ceremony or something. We’re just getting to know each other.”

Shiro pressed a number of chaste kisses to Lance’s neck and shoulder before responding. “Realistically, I know that. But that doesn’t stop me being anxious.”

Lance laughed softly. “Is that what you have to put up with, when I’m worried?”

“No,” Shiro said. “You’re much worse.”

“HEY!” Lance chuckled and pushed Shiro slightly. Shiro just hummed into his neck.

“We’ll be alright,” Lance said after a beat.

“Just come here,” Shiro said, reaching up to kiss Lance. Lance allowed it, but only for a moment, not letting the kiss go any deeper than a press of the lips.

“Keith should be here soon,” he murmured.

Shiro hummed again, but moved in for a few more brief kisses. He still needed the comfort Lance’s touch gave him. Lance didn’t allow it for long, pushing off Shiro to go look for take out menus and pace some more.

It wasn’t long before the buzzer rang and Keith was there.

Lance leapt toward the intercom “Hello!”

Keith’s voiced came through, muffled with static. “Hey Lance!”

Lance danced a little on the spot before saying “Come on up!” and buzzing Keith in. He then raced over to Shiro and pulled him up from his seat. “He’s here!”

“Really?” Shiro said. “I hadn’t noticed.”

Lance continued to bounce on his toes, holding Shiro’s hands loosely. “I’m gonna die before he gets up here.”

“Calm down,” Shiro laughed. “It’s meant to be a relaxed night in, remember?”

Lance didn’t respond, he was too busy watching the door and hopping up and down. Shiro moved away, didn’t want to come across too Stepford Wife-like waiting at the door with smiles.

He retreated to the kitchen, and glanced at the menu’s Lance had left on the table. Shiro really didn’t see anything on them, only the colour of the paper they were printed on.

Then, he heard a knock at the door.

Before Keith had even finished knocking, he heard the door whip open. “Hi!” Lance said eagerly.

“Hey,” Keith laughed. “Oof.”

Shiro walked back to the door, calm, cool and collected, to see Lance hugging a slightly uncomfortable-looking Keith.

“Hey Keith.” Shiro said. Lance let go of Keith then. “Come on in.”

“I brought some drinks,” Keith said. “Figured you guys were putting me up for the evening, it was the least I could do. Just some beers and a bottle of wine."

“Keith!” Lance said, surprised. “You didn’t have to do that!”

“It was no big deal,” Keith replied, handing Lance the bag and reaching to scratch at his hair nervously. He followed them into the kitchen.

“Let me put these away,” Lance said. “We can decide what to eat in a sec.”

Shiro felt that awkward nervousness in the air again. None of them knew what to do or say. Keith was hovering at the doorway, not fully walking into the room. And Shiro wanted, needed, to make him more comfortable.

“Hey, Keith?” He said. Keith glanced up at him, shuffling on his feet still. “Want me to show you around real quick?”

“Uh,” Keith said, glancing quickly at Lance. “Uh, alright?”

Lance looked between them and nodded.

“Lance, maybe you can set up the TV and some snacks?”

“Sure thing,” Lance smiled.

“C’mon then,” Shiro said, walking over to Keith. “This is obviously the kitchen.” He laid a hand on Keith shoulder, gently guiding him back out. A slight tremor shot through him, travelling up his hand from the point of contact, all the way up his arm, through his heart and down to his toes.

“Obviously,” Keith said. Shiro wasn’t sure if that was a joke, or was meant to be serious. Either way, he continued.

“Through here is the living room. Where we’ll likely be spending the rest of tonight.”

Keith looked around at the large room. Shiro genuinely loved their living room. It felt like home the most, with its warm honey-coloured walls, the large and comfy couch with the hand-knitted quilt across the back, the large shelves next to the TV, filled with pictures of friends and family, the scattered books, the large coffee table that was clean for once.

“This place feels a lot more… like you guys.” Keith said, appraising. “Your friend's house, from last time. It was nice but… this place feels more like a home, y’know?”

Shiro smiled. “Thanks. We actually worked hard to make it that. You can leave your coat here if you want?”

Shiro regretted his words when he realised he’d have to drop his hand off Keith’s shoulder to let him take off his red jacket, but he did so reluctantly. Keith dropped his gloves on the arm of the couch too. When Keith was ready, Shiro pointed to the far side of the living room.

“Let me show you the rooms down here.” Keith turned that direction and Shiro had to hold himself back from resting his hand on Keith’s tiny waist. He’d already touched Keith, damn it, to to do it again would be weird. So, he simply followed after him.

“That’s the spare room,” Shiro said, pointing. “And this is the bathroom, if you need to know for later.” Shiro opened the door and turned on the switch, as Keith leaned in to look.”

“Kinda small,” Keith said. Shiro chuckled. Blunt. 

“Yeah,” He said. “This is mostly just for guests. The main bathroom is attached to our bedroom, and trust me, you don’t want to see the mountains on products Lance has in there. It’s a nightmare.”

Keith snickered at that.  

“And now, for the best room.” Shiro pointed across the hall. “We were pretty lucky to get this place, but we realised after like, six months, we didn’t need two spare bedrooms.” Shiro explained, opening the door. “So, we turned one into-”

“You have a _gym_?!” Keith blurted.

“Kinda. It’s mostly just a squat rack but we have an exercise bench, some dumbbells and kettlebells. Oh and a treadmill.” Shiro said, enjoying the look of surprise on Keith’s face. “Lance mostly does yoga in here, and I rarely use it since I get to use the stuff in work, but it’s nice to have.”

“That’s incredible!” Keith said. “I can’t even afford a gym membership!”

And maybe that was why Shiro showed this to him. Maybe Shiro was secretly very selfish.

“I mean, you can come over and use it, if you want?”

Keith’s head snapped to look at Shiro. “Really?”

Shiro shrugged. “Sure, if you wanted to.”

Keith paused, seeming to weigh Shiro’s words.

“Alright,” he said, turning to look back at the equipment in front of him. “Maybe I will.”

Shiro clapped his shoulder and grinned. Keith shivered slightly at the touch. “I’d like that.” Keith smiled a small, quiet smile, still not facing Shiro.

“Come on,” Shiro said. “Let’s get back to Lance. He’s probably pacing a hole into the floor, waiting.”

They turned to walk back, and Shiro didn’t drop his hand from Keith’s shoulder until they got into the living room. He is fingers tingled with the memory of Keith’s body heat. This was so strange and exciting for Shiro to feel.

When they got to the living room he saw the lights had been turned down, the curtains closed and Lance had laid out drinks for each of them and had a few small bowls filled with snacks.

Shiro saw Lance try to relax himself when they came into view. Who know what he thought they’d done on their walk, but Shiro understood how anxious he was and didn’t judge him.

“You guys want to order food now, or wait a bit?” Lance asked as he switched Netflix onto their TV.

“I don’t mind. Keith?”

Keith shrugged. “Later, I guess.”

“Cool,” Lance said, nonchalantly. Shiro moved to sit on the couch, and Keith joined him. Lance saw them, and sat on Keith’s other side. They weren’t on top of one another, it was a large couch, but Keith didn’t look like he appreciated being in the middle.

“This alright?” Shiro asked him.

“Yeah,” Keith swallowed. “Yeah it’s just…” He trailed off into a mumble neither Shiro or Lance picked up. The two exchanged a glance over Keith’s bowed head.

“Are you sure?” Lance asked.

“Yeah,” Keith said, clearing his throat. “It’s just… a lot. I’ll be alright.” He then leaned to grab his beer off the coffee table and took a large gulp. Shiro and Lance exchanged another glance.

“If you say so…”

Lance, without asking the others, quickly chose the newest Marvel Netflix series and sat back on the couch, drink in hand.

Shiro followed suit, and settled into the couch as comfortably as he could. The atmosphere in the room wasn’t tense, but wasn’t relaxed either. It was like everyone was aware of what the others were doing at all times, and waiting for someone to… he didn’t know what.

After one episode of the show, which Shiro wasn’t paying attention to at all, Lance leant forward to grab a bowl from the coffee table. He began to take small, loud bites of chips, from the sound of it. Shiro didn’t want to say anything, for fear it would break something, so he sat in silence as Lance drowned out the TV with his eating.

When Lance started on his tenth minute of loud eating, Keith snapped.

“Will you _stop that_?!” He growled, fist clenched. Shiro turned his head, shocked but not surprised.

Lance dropped his half eaten chip into the bowl, and hurriedly placed it on the coffee table. “Sorry,” he muttered, cowed.

Keith quickly lost his temper. “Sorry,” he hurried to say. “Sorry, it’s just… I can’t focus on the movie.... with the noise.”

Lance just nodded at Keith, saying “Okay,” quietly, before turning back to the TV. Keith didn’t turn away, still watching Lance for a few moments. Shiro couldn’t see his face, he couldn’t tell how Keith was feeling, but his shoulders were hanging low, dejected. After a long moment, Keith turned to face forwards again.

Eventually, after about two more episodes of the show, Shiro saw as Keith started to relax a little. He slouched in the seat, and even brought his feet up and tucked them under himself. God, is this what they’d wanted to do tonight? Just sit in the same room, not even talking to one another? Shiro didn’t like the thought of that. He wanted to talk to Keith, get to know him better. With the amount of beer he’d drank in the last hour, hopefully he’d be more relaxed and open.

He waited for the episode to end before asking “So, you guys wanna order that food now?”

Lance leapt up at the suggestion. “Yes!” he exclaimed. “Great idea! Yes!” He quickly paused the TV, and rushed to get the menus. While Keith had been getting more relaxed, Lance had been getting more tense. Keith’s outburst earlier certainly didn’t help things.

But, before Shiro and Keith could say anything about it, Lance was back.

“I was thinking we could get Chinese food? Or pizza?” He was saying, phone in one hand, stacks of menus in the other.

“Would it be wrong to get both?” Shiro joked.

“Yes,” Lance was quick to reply. “We can’t pig out again Shiro.”

Shiro sighed but Keith, it seemed, was eager to appease Lance. “Pizza sounds good to me.”

“Pizza it is!” Lance declared. “But first, the ever important question. Keith: what is your opinion of pineapple on pizza?”

“Wow Lance!” Shiro laughed. “Not going easy on him, huh?”

Lance kept his gaze on Keith, who simply shrugged. “Not the biggest fan of it, but I’d eat it if it was in front of me.”

Shiro made a face, and saw that Lance was sticking his tongue out at him.

“See? Keith is on my side, pineapple on pizza is great!”

“Whoa, who, whoa wait a second!” Keith hurried to say.

“He isn’t on your side!” Shiro stated. “He just isn’t against you!”

“Whatever,” Lance shrugged. “That’s all I need.”

Shiro laughed, and Keith looked lost. Shiro decided to take pity on him and ask “What would you like on your pizza?”

“Uh,” Keith said. “I like… Meat Lovers pizza.”

Lance sighed dramatically. “Guess we’ll be getting three different pizzas.” And walked away to place their order.

“No, no, wait!” Keith scrambled, and attempted to chase after Lance. Shiro stood and held onto Keith’s shoulders to stop him, chuckling.

“Don’t worry about,” he said. “Lance is just being an idiot, don’t mind him.”

“But… he-”

“He’s just teasing, relax.” Shiro said, hoping the fact he was touching Keith would be distraction enough. It seemed to work, he stopped staring desperately at the door to the kitchen, where Lance had disappeared, and relaxed as he met Shiro’s eyes.

Shiro smiled down at him, which made Keith blush, and look away. But, he didn’t move away. In fact, Keith even seemed to shuffle closer to Shiro. And that made that new _thing_ inside Shiro warm up. Oh god, he was already in deep with this. So much for them taking it slow. Shiro took a reluctant step back.

“C’mon,” he said, gesturing to couch. “Sit back down, get comfortable while we wait for the food.”

They sat, and Keith was much closer to Shiro this time. Shiro moved so his arm was draped across the back of the couch behind Keith. They weren’t technically touching, but it was close enough.

Shiro wished they could skip this awkwardness that was still encompassing them. He hated that he didn’t know what to say here. And if Keith’s body language was any indication, he felt the same. He was sat leaning into Shiro but also holding himself back, and rigid. God, this sucked.

“You doin’ alright?” Shiro asked him.

Keith shrugged. “Been better,” he said.

Shiro didn’t know what to say to that, so they sat in silence for a moment, the only sound was that of Lance calling in their order from the next room.

Not knowing what to say, Shiro said anything.  “Tell me something.”

Keith was surprised by that, but just said “What do you want me to say?”

“Anything,” Shiro said. “Tell me something dumb that happened in work today.”

That was easy, it seemed. Keith immediately launched into a story of a woman trying to use her loyalty card from another store, and getting angry when anyone tried to explain that to her. Shiro laughed and commiserated as Keith spoke, and it was enough to keep them occupied until Lance returned.

“I didn’t order any drinks for us,” he said. “I figured we had enough here.”

“Good call,” Shiro said. Lance then sat down beside him, and grinned at both him and Keith.

“Did I hear you sharing awful customer stories? Boy, I do _not_ miss those days.”

And suddenly, the night was easier. They sat sharing customer-from-hell stories. They’d all worked retail or food service before, and so there was plenty to go around. And Lance even had some from his current job. Having to deal with Facebook queries from older women who knew nothing about technology apparently was a nightmare. It kept them going until the pizza got there, and then the topics switched, to awful teachers and professors, to pranks pulled in school. They talked and laughed for what felt like minutes, and lifetimes all at once.

It was refreshing to see Keith relax. When Lance had returned with the pizza, he’d sat on the Keith’s other side, so he was in the middle again, but he seemed to be much more comfortable with it this time. He was even leaning into Lance on more than once occasion. The two of them just seemed to work around each other, in the most bizarre way. They liked to argue, and compete, but Shiro had a blast watching them, and mocking them for the silly ways they talked themselves into a corner. When Lance had said he’d definitely seen more naked people working in a hotel than Keith had bartending, Shiro couldn’t contain his belly laugh. It’s like they didn’t realise how inane the arguments they were having until Shiro interrupted. It was amazing.

But, eventually, the night had to come to an end.

Long after the last bite of pizza had been eaten, the last beer drank, and all the snack bowls emptied, they realised how late it was.

“I really should get going,” Keith said regretfully as he stood.

Lance pouted, but he couldn’t argue. It was almost 2am! “Alright,” he said. “But we have to see each other again soon!”

“Yeah,” Keith smiled as he stepped back into his shoes.

Shiro and Lance stood to the side, sadly watching as Keith got ready to leave.

“Tonight was great,” Shiro said, leading them to the door for their goodbye. “I really enjoyed myself.”

“Me too,” Keith said. “Even if we forgot all about Netflix.”

Lance waved that away. “That’s what it was for, to be ignored.”

Keith chuckled. “Maybe next time… we could do something, one-on-one?” He was looking between Lance and Shiro as he asked.

“Uh, of course!” Lance said. “I need to get you alone to beat you at air hockey!”

“I don’t know where you get this idea that I cheat.” Shiro said, exasperated, at the same time Keith said “Who says you’re going to beat me?”

“You have a metal hand, it screws with the magnets in the table.” Lance explained. Shiro rolled his eyes.

“I’ll text you guys, and we can figure out what we wanna do,” Keith said, opening the door.

“Sounds good,” Shiro said.

Lance stopped Keith and held him in a quick hug. Keith didn’t stiffen up this time, and hugged back. When they pulled apart, Shiro clapped Keith on the shoulder.

“Talk to you soon.”

With that Keith left. Lance whined as soon as the door closed behind him. “I miss him already.”

Shiro laughed. “Me too, kitten. But we’ll see him soon.”

“He’s so cute, did you see the way he smiled when he told that story earlier?”

“I did,” Shiro said. “He’s incredibly cute.”

“Oh, he was even cuter when he laughed at your story, and nearly choked on his pizza.”

“That was cute?”

Shiro resigned himself to hearing nothing about how cute/funny/great Keith was until Lance eventually fell asleep. Truth be told, he probably wouldn’t even stop then!

But, it’s not like it troubled Shiro to hear him say these things, so he let Lance ramble on and on as they got into bed. They went to bed happy with how the night went, and excited for their solo dates with Keith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to add emoji into Lance texts, but it turned out to be more work than I anticipated so I just... didn't...
> 
> I don't really talk much about my fic on tumblr but if any of you were curious, you can follow me http://arrynzek.tumblr.com/


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance and Keith have an arcade date. Shiro has serious thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> why am i the worst ever and updating regularly. sorry it's been six months, i promise the next wait won't be as long.

The four days Lance went without seeing Keith again was utter torture. They’d agreed to go on a date as soon as they could, and an evening after work suited them both. Lance kinda hoped Shiro and Keith would go out during the weekend, since they were free, but as far as he knew they hadn’t arranged anything. It was killing him not to involve himself, but he knew it was up to them. If he forced his way into it, it just wouldn’t work.

So, he contented himself with his midweek arcade date with Keith. And he was super excited for it.

After work, he raced home to get changed into something comfy yet stylish (this was a date after all, he had his soulmate to impress!) and made his way to the Galaxy Arcade. Lance still felt butterflies in his stomach when he thought about Keith. There was just something so utterly exhilarating about knowing this was his soulmate, this was the person who was meant to be in his life, forever. This was the one person in the universe meant for and destined to be with Lance. Keith was that person! Keith was his soulmate. Thinking about it was intoxicating.

Keith was already waiting for him when Lance reached the arcade. They hugged briefly in greeting and Lance relished in it. The first time he’d hugged Keith, he’d locked up. Now, in the shortest of short spaces of time, Keith was welcoming it! Lance was still the one initiating, which was fine with him, but Keith was more than happy to let himself be hugged, and even squeezed back! Lance forced himself not to hold on as long as he wanted, but he did briefly bury his face in the crook of Keith’s neck and took a deep breath. Beneath the smell of his leather jacket and deodorant, there was Keith’s scent. Lance wanted to bury himself in that scent.

They pulled apart and Keith grinned at him. “We match.”

“Huh?” Lance said, confused.

“We’re both wearing leather jackets.” Keith said, still grinning.

Lance looked Keith up and down, and saw Keith was wearing a leather jacket. “This is a letterman jacket though. That’s different.”

Keith rolled his eyes, and turned to walk into the arcade. “It’s still made of leather, isn’t it?”

“We don’t match though!” Lance insisted, following Keith to the booth to exchange money for change and game tokens.“Matching would be us wearing the same thing. These are totally different!”

“We both look like we’re on a date from the 1950s, we match.”

Lance shook his head. There was no arguing with Keith. They didn’t match, not in the slightest, but he did have a point. Lance looked like a soccer player or something, and Keith looked like the stereotypical bad boy, in his leather jacket and tight white shirt. He even had his hair gelled back! Lance really liked him like that, eyes not hidden by his emo fringe.

“You look good,” he said.

Keith blushed and gave a quiet “So do you,” back.

“If this is a 50s date, I demand milkshakes later,” Lance said. “But now, it’s time for me to demolish you at air hockey.”

“Strong words,” Keith said. “For a man who’s going to lose.”

“We’ll see about that!” Lance challenged. “Let’s go, mullet.”

Keith grinned in the way only a man confident in his ability could. But Lance, too, was confident he could destroy Keith.

They played best out of three.The first game went on the longest, matching each other point for point. Whenever Keith got one, Lance followed almost immediately. When Lance took the lead, Keith fought it back. It was loud, the pinging sound of the puck against the paddle and the walls of the machine. Keith was moving like lightning, but sometimes that was his downfall. He moved too fast for the puck, and Lance used that to his advantage, trying to make his shots as angled as possible. Eventually, Keith won by one point. The second game was much quicker, Lance’s reflexes faster, more determined than ever. He also kept Keith distracted with bad jokes and insults, using Keith’s temper against him, but Lance knew what he was doing. He won 10 - 6.

“Looks like it’s a tie,” Lance said.

“No need to be so smug,” Keith said. “You still lost a game.”

“So did you,” Lance sang, tossing his paddle in the air and catching it again effortlessly. “Just now actually, to me. I won and you didn’t!”

“At least now you can say you put up a fighting chance.” Keith teased. “When Shiro asks, you can pretend it was a close game.”

“You’re cute when you’re trying to make yourself feel better.”

Keith barked out a laugh. “Let’s just finish this.”

“So eager to lose,” Lance joked.

“Just shoot the damn puck, Lance.” 

For the third and final game, neither was willing to back down.

Keith was vicious, his anger fueling him, and he refused to let Lance get to him, and Lance didn’t want to waste his energy distracting him, instead trying to play as tactically as one could play air hockey. It was fast and brutal, Lance’s arms were sore from holding them locked. Keith seemed to be holding his breath; Lance couldn’t tell whether he was doing it on purpose or not.

It looked like it was going to be another one-point win, both of them at 9 points, when Lance made another corner shot, Keith batted it back hard.

The puck flew into the air, bounced off the wall and landed into the goal… of a different table.

The machine made a noise, as if counting the score, even though no one was playing there, and ate the puck.

Lance and Keith stared at each other in stunned silence for a moment before Keith said “ I was going to beat you! You can pay to get it back.”

They both burst out in laughter.

“It just ate our puck!” Lance wheezed, minutes later when he could finally find the breath to speak. Keith was leaning into him, having come to try pick Lance up when he fell from laughing so hard, but he was no help, laughing just as much as Lance was. Though, the gesture and the touch was appreciated.

Keith had an arm around Lance’s waist and turned to laugh into his neck. “Guess this is game over,” he rasped, sending them both into hysterics again.

“We’ll call this one a draw?” Lance said, wiping a tear from his eye.

“Yeah,” Keith snorted. “Guess next time we’ll need a referee.”

Lance smiled at him.

“C’mon”, he said, taking a step forward but pulling Keith along by the hand. “There’s plenty of other games I can beat you at.”

“I’m not so sure you can,” Keith grinned.

Lance didn’t respond, just tugged on Keith’s hand.

They played a few rounds of skeeball/horse-racing which was fun and challenging and loud. There were a few other’s playing, and a man with a microphone giving commentary like it was an actual horserace, and that added to the competitive atmosphere. They didn’t bother keeping the score on that one, as they weren’t the only ones playing but they still had a good time.

When they grew bored, they moved to on to a few more machines. Race cars, a bad shooting game, and then they found a retro Ms Pac Man machine where Lance happily watched Keith play. He was utterly focused, tongue poking out as he furrowed his brow in concentration. How could Lance pay attention to the game when he had that to look at instead?

Eventually, after doing a few rounds on the crane game (Lance won Keith a keychain, Keith won a Minions stuffed animal that Lance refused to take off him, no matter how romantic an idea it was), a whack-a-mole type game, and Keith spent almost all his money on the coin pusher game, muttering “I’m so close, just one more…” Lance dragged him out to get some food.

“I know a place that does the perfect milkshake!” Lance said, tugging on Keith’s hand. “I want the rest of my 1950’s date!”

Keith heaved a heavy sigh, but there was a small smile on his lips. “Alright,” he said softly. “Lead the way.”

The short walk to the diner was filled with easy chatter, about the arcade, Lance told stories from a family vacation by the beach where he spent all his rainy days in the arcade, competing with his siblings for the best prize at the end of the week. In the end, his mom won with a giant stuffed animal from a crane game and Lance left with a deck of cards, a yo-yo and a sticky hand. Keith told Lance how he loved retro video games and arcades as a kid. Lance called him a nerd, and Keith bumped his shoulder with a grin. It was enjoyable and easy. It just felt right. Like they’d been doing this for years, had been friends forever. Not that they’d just met. It was perfect.

“Tada!” Lance said, letting go of Keith’s hand (he hadn’t let go the whole walk here, and neither had Keith!) to gesture to the diner with a flourish.

Keith looked like he was in the middle of rolling his eyes fondly, before his eyes widened. “Lard Have Mercy? I love this place!”

“Yeah?” Lance asked. “You’ve been here before?”

Keith flashed him a smile. “I practically lived here when I first moved. They make a killer breakfast.”

“Oh, the waffles from this place!” Lance moaned. “I’ve never had anything better.”

“I think I only had dinner here twice, and never a milkshake, but if it's anything like their ice cream, it’s going to be great.”

“You’ve never had their milkshakes?” Lance gasped, hand on his heart in an exaggerated way to make Keith smile. “That’s blasphemy! What are we waiting for?! Get in!”

“Alright, alright!” Keith laughed as Lance pushed him through the door. “I’m going, chill out!”

Lance waved at the waitress as he pushed a laughing Keith all the way into a booth. He plopped himself opposite Keith with an exhausted sigh. “For a skinny guy, you sure are heavy!” He exclaimed.

“I work out,” Keith said nonchalantly, browsing the menu. Lance rolled his eyes.

“Are burgers acceptable food for a 1950s date?” Keith asked.

“Lance shrugged. “Once I get that milkshake, I couldn’t care less.”

“Cool, them I’m getting curly fries.”

When the waitress arrived to take their order, Lance asked for their biggest option possible for the milkshake, and they proceeded to argue over which flavour to get.

Eventually they settled on vanilla, but with lots of sauces on top to make up for it. The poor waitress looked exhausted by their bickering and seemed far too happy to be walking away from them. Lance promised to give her a good tip.

They continued to chat as they waited for their food.

“So, Hunk is my best friend, probably,” Lance said. “Pidge is a very very close second. Allura is pretty great, but she’s not on the level of the other two.”

“I think you mentioned them before, pranks and stuff. How long have you known them?”

“Met Allura in college, she was the leader of one of the societies I joined. The others I knew in like middle school. Pidge and I got Hunk into so much trouble, it’s a miracle he made it out alive!” Lance let out a small chuckle before saying “And, it was Hunk who encouraged me to ask Shiro out. I was convinced he was out of my league, but Hunk told me to go for it. Who knows what would’ve happened to us all otherwise.”

“I’ll have to thank him when I meet him,” Keith smirked.

“Would you want to meet him?” Lance asked.

“I mean, yeah?” Keith replied. “He’s your best friend, and clearly important to you, why wouldn’t I?”

Lance just shook his head, smiling.

“What about you?” he asked. “Would you want me to meet your friends?”

“I don’t really have many,” Keith shrugged. “I mean, I have some people who are more than acquaintances, and I’m friendly with people at work, but not on that… level.”

Lance regarded him. He reached out and took Keith’s hand gently. He still felt an amazing thrill each time they touched, it was intoxicating, but he was trying not to push it, he didn’t want to overstep Keith’s boundaries.

The contact seemed to encourage Keith though. “It’s just… I can be friendly with people, but letting people in isn’t easy for me, y’know?”

“You don’t have to meet my friends if you don’t want to.”

“No!” Keith exclaimed, leaning forward to hold Lance’s hand tightly. “It’s not that, I promise. I want to meet them sometime it’s just… I’ve never been good at having friends and I don’t want to ruin things for you guys.”

Lance smiled. “You couldn’t, trust me. The biggest risk to mine and Hunk’s friendship is usually me!”

Keith snorted. “Alright.”

“He wants to meet you too, by the way.” Lance said.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, he had to listen to me whine about not having met you when I was like, 13. I was incredibly impatient.”

“Because now you’re a paragon of patience.” Keith teased.

“Absolutely,” Lance said, tossing his nose in the air and putting on a snooty accent. “I am nothing if not a saint.”

Keith let out a belly laugh at that. “You’re a real Mother Theresa.”  
Lance laughed too. “I am worried about Pidge meeting you,” he said. “She’d scare you away easily.”

Keith laughed too. “Yeah, how’s that?”

“She’s pretty intense. And she tends to forget social norms sometimes.”

“Sounds to me like we’d get along great.” Keith responded.

“Or clash horribly.”

“Or that.”

Lance loved this bantering. It was so nice. And it was nice that Keith was still holding his hand, even if his grip did loosen as the conversation moved. Lance enjoyed swaying his fingers up the length of Keiths hand, and watch him blush in response.

Everything about Keith, his touch, his smile, his reactions, were so endearing to Lance. It was overwhelming in the best way possible.

The arrival of their food was both a welcome and loathed distraction. He hated to have to lose his contact with Keith, but he knew the other man would need a breather.

But then the giant boat of a milkshake arrived, with two giant straws.

“Share a milkshake with me?” Lance asked with a quirk of his eyebrows.

Keith huffed. “Well, I worry what will happen to your figure if I don’t.”

Lance let out a startled laugh. “Oh, you shit…"

 

* * *

 

 

After their dinner and shakes, Keith shyly asked if he could walk Lance home. Lance agreed easily, and Keith expanded.

“I wonder if I could see Shiro too, just to say hello?”

Lance tried not to let jealousy break his heart. Of course Keith would want to see Shiro, he was Keith’s soulmate. But it still stung. Tonight was meant to be about Keith and Lance. But, Lance swallowed that. He couldn’t begrudge Keith this. He’d waited his whole life to meet Shiro, of course he’d want to see him.

“Sure!” Lance grinned. “I’ll just text him to let him know we’re on the way.”

“Thanks,” Keith said quietly, looking down. Lance assumed he was blushing. He quickly typed out a text to Shiro, didn’t want to have him blindsided by Keith arriving. He was surprised to feel Keith’s fingers working their way in his palm as Lance shoved his phone back into his pocket.

“Really,” Keith said, starting to walk, “thanks. I just want to be able to see him, just for a second. Maybe ask him about our one-on-one.”

“Yeah?” Lance asked. “Have you guys talked about it at all?”

Keith huffed. “No, I’ve been too afraid to text.”

Lance swung his arm around Keith’s shoulder and pulled him close. “That’s fair. You think you’d be better face to face?”

Keith breathed a laugh. “No, but I’m kinda hoping seeing me with you will spark something.”

Lance chuckled. Really, he sort of understood where Keith was coming from. Shiro had rejected him quite harshly before, and sure they were past it, but Keith was probably still wary. Didn’t want to get hurt again. And Lance got that he wanted to remind Shiro he existed, but it still hurt him, feeling like he was a go-between for them, or a pawn in a game.

“Shiro’s a tough nut to crack,” Lance said. “But once you find something in common, something he can relate to you with, you’ll be golden.”

“Like what, though?” Keith asked, petulant.

“Nope.” Lance said. “I’m not giving insider secrets, I had to learn to hard way, so do you.”

“That’s so unfair!” Keith exclaimed.

“Tough luck,” Lance laughed, arm still holding Keith to his side as they walked. Keith laughed with him, and wrapped his arm around Lance’s waist, making a hurricane of butterflies erupt in his stomach. Lance was giddy with it.

 

They made their way to Lance’s apartment building, held hands all the up the stairs, but at the door, Keith pulled Lance back.

“What’s up?”

“I just,” Keith said, seeming unsure. “I wanted to tell you I had a great time with you today.”

Something so simple shouldn’t have made Lance’s stomach explode, once more, with butterflies, but it did. “I had a great time too,” he grinned.

Keith smiled, but still seemed uneasy. “I was… I was kind of hoping though that next time…. We could…. Talk.”

“Talk about what?” Lance asked.

“Us,” Keith replied. “And what you want out of… me… your soulmate.”

Now Lance was uneasy. “What do you mean?”

Keith reached out to hold both of Lance’s hands, and raise them to his chest, holding them there. Goddamnit, they were supposed to be taking this slow, how in the hell did this kind of physical affection come so easy to them? When had that happened?

“I mean… it’s still weird to me. Being your soulmate.”

That punched a hurt gasp out of Lance, his whole heart constricting.

“Not in a bad way!” Keith amended. “It’s just… it never occured to me my whole life I wasn't Takashi Shirogane’s soulmate. I spent all that time thinking that was the person I was… perfect for.”

Lance tried to nod, he did understand, he went through the same thing with Shiro when they first learned of their soulmate situation, but he did not expect hearing it to startle the breath out of him.

“I’m just still getting used to the idea I’m right for someone else,” Keith said. “For you.” He smiled then and tugged Lance closer. “I want to learn about what you want from a soulmate, what you daydreamed about, just… everything about what you wanted.”

“Alright,” Lance croaked. When did his throat glue shut? “Yeah, we can do that. I’ll warn you, I’ll probably need a whole bottle of wine for a conversation that intense.”

“I think I can cope with that,” Keith smiled.

Lance moved his hands off Keith’s chest to wrap around him in a hug. Keith eagerly accepted it, burying his head in the crook of Lance’s neck. He shuddered.

“C’mon,” Lance murmured, pulling himself free. “We shouldn’t keep Shiro waiting.”

Lance cleared his throat before opening the door and calling “Oh Shirroooo! I’m hooooommeee!”

“Hey!” Shiro called, joining them in the entryway. He pressed a quick kiss to Lance’s lips, and Lance tried not to melt into it with Keith right next to him. “Hey Keith,” Shiro smiled, and then awkwardly reached out to hug Keith. He seemed startled at first, but quickly reciprocated.

“Hey Shiro,” he smiled.

“So, did Lance destroy you at air hockey?” Shiro asked with a smirk.

Lance sighed dramatically as he flounced past Shiro, into the heart of the apartment. “No!” He wailed. “It was a _draw_!”

“Oh no,” Shiro replied sarcastically, following Lance. Keith trailed after them both. “Who could have seen that coming?”

“Quiet you,” Lance pointed at him. “I would have won if Keith hadn’t had a hissy fit.”

“ME?!” Keith burst. “I’m pretty sure it was you who hit it into the _sky_!”

“I’m pretty sure you’re remembering that wrong,” Lance said, waving his hand.

Keith flapped his arms in disbelief, causing Shiro to laugh at them both,

“So, I take it you two had a good time?” he asked.

Lance turned to smile at Keith, who returned it shyly. “Yeah,” Keith said. “I think we did.”

“You think?” Lance said, mock outraged. “Wow, way to make a guy feel special!”

Keith rolled his eyes. “I was sure, until you started acting like a diva.”

“Oh, I see how it is!” Lance said. “Well, if that’s how you feel, let me make my diva exit!” Lance turned and made an appropriately dramatic exit to the bedroom, and left Keith and Shiro alone for a few moments while he got into something more comfortable for his evening at home.

 

* * *

 

 

Lance shut the door behind him, and Shiro was alone with Keith.

“I hope he wasn’t that dramatic all evening,” he joked, trying to lighten the tension that always seemed to envelop them.

“Nah,” Keith grinned. “He’s just putting on a show now for you. We had a great time.”

“Glad to hear it,” Shiro said, patting Keith’s shoulder. He wasn’t sure when they started standing close enough for him to reach.

“The arcade was a lot of fun,” Keith said. “Even if Lance gave away the toy I won him to some kid.”

Shiro snorted. “He likes to pretend he’s a romantic but he’s very picky.”

There was an uneasy almost electric atmosphere between them and Shiro didn’t know what to do with it. It was like an anticipation of a storm, but Shiro didn’t know if he wanted it to rain. What was this thing with him and Keith.

He wanted to get to know him better, but everytime they were alone, it felt volatile. Did he want to get to know him better? Or was he just trying for Lance’s sake? He thought that until he saw Keith look at him, and he was stuck by his bright unusual eyes.

 

“Are…” Keith started. “Are we… I mean do you-”

“I was thinking of going for a hike this weekend.” Shiro interrupted. Keith blinked.

“Lance usually comes and complains the whole time. What do you say you come with me this time?”

Shiro wished he knew where the compulsion to ask came from. All he knew was the atmosphere here was itching under his skin and he needed to get away. Maybe a break to the mountains would fix that.

“I haven’t gone hiking in ages,” Keith said after a pause

“We won’t go far,” Shiro assured. “Just get some fresh air, talk without any… distractions.”

Keith regarded Shiro at length. Shiro didn’t know what he was looking for, but eventually he grinned and replied “Yeah, let’s do it.”

“I’m free all weekend. Text me and let me know what suits you?” Shiro said, and took out his phone because he and Keith hadn’t actually exchanged numbers yet. Lance had been their point of contact when it came to organising their last date.

Keith quickly entered in his number. “I should be free all Sunday but I’ll check when I get home.” Keith said eagerly.

“Then I’ll see you this weekend,” Shiro said, taking his phone back but intentionally letting his fingers brush against Keith’s.

Keith fumbled and turned bright red. Shiro grinned and took the phone (and Keith’s hand) more steadily in both of his own.

Keith took a step back then and said “I’d better get going, I’m working again tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Shiro said easily. “Safe home.”

Lance walked in then, wearing a shirt of Shiro’s and yoga pants, and saw Keith move towards the door. “Oh, are you going?”

“Yeah,” Keith said. “Not without saying goodbye though.”

Lance grinned. “You goof,” he said, walking over, arms raised for a hug. Keith easily leaned into it, arms circling Lance’s waist.

“Text me when you get home!” Lance said drawing away.

“Will do,” he replied. “Bye guys.”

“Bye Keith,” Shiro clapped him on the shoulder. “See you this weekend!”

Keith waved once more before exiting.

Lance immediately turned to Shiro. “What was that about, this weekend? Did you two plan a _date?!_ ”

Shiro shrugged. “Yeah, something like that.”

Lance squealed and jumped up and down on his toes. “Oh! You two planned a date! I’m so excited for you!”

Shiro chuckled, and hoisted Lance up in a bridal carry to move over to the couch. “Yeah, I dunno what came over me but it should be good.”

“Oh god, it’s going to be impossible for me not to like, nag you about it now. What are you guys doing?”

“Going for a hike.” Shiro dropped to the couch and let Lance settle, legs draped over each other.

There was a beat. “Oh thank god. Does this mean I don’t have to go with you this weekend?”

Shiro laughed, hands moving to stroke up the length of Lance’s leg. “Yup.”

“What a blessing! That means I can do that new exfoliating scrub I got without being like, covered in dirt first. This is great!” Lance rearranged himself on top of Shiro and draped one arm around his shoulders.

Lance continued to chatter, first about whatever beauty products he was eager to try, then about the date. Shiro listened attentively. Lance was talking with his hands, and they brushed against Shiro’s face sometimes, constantly keeping Shiro in attention. He was happy Lance enjoyed himself, even if he was conflicted about the relationship with Keith.

Maybe Shiro was selfish. He should be happy Lance found his soulmate. But, when they’d discussed it in the past, Lance had been adamant he would never leave Shiro. Shiro had always thought that was because Lance didn’t know what it was like when you met your soulmate. Shiro had dated before Lance, and he knew the difference it made. You could literally feel it in your soul, the happiness of being around them.

Lance had never known that. And Shiro had hoped, because Lance was happy with him, he’d never want to look for his soulmate. But now, they’d found him. And sure, Shiro was _his_ soulmate, and it meant all three of them were meant to be together, in some capacity, Shiro felt jealous. Seeing Lance so happy, and affectionate around him. A part of Shiro hated it. He should be the one to make Lance that happy.

But then his own feelings for Keith made it more complicated. What were his feelings for Keith? Would it make Lance jealous to see them together? Should they forgo the solo time and just hang out as a trio? Was that not the universe wanted? It was all so complicated.

“Hey,” Lance nudged him out of his train of thought. “You okay?”

“Sorry,” Shiro said, heaving his chest. “Must have zoned out.”

Lance carded his fingers through Shiro’s hair, humming. “What you thinking about?”

“Just… this thing. With the three of us.”

Lance hummed again, waiting for Shiro to continue. He sighed.

“It’s just… I don’t know what I think about it. And trying to figure it out confuses me. I shouldn’t be jealous, right?”

“I get what you mean,” Lance said. “Honestly, Keith mentioned you and I almost cried. But when I saw you two talking, it just made me feel really happy.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmhm.” Lance’s now had two hands at the back of Shiro’s neck, one holding him in place, the other making soothing motions. “I really think it was spending time with him today helped clear up what I was feeling. Maybe you’ll feel better after you guys go hiking?”

“You really think so?” He couldn’t really imagine how spending a few hours in his company could soothe all these anxieties.

“It wasn’t some magic cure-all, no, but it did help. I think the more we’re around each other the easier it will be.”

Shiro didn’t say anything, trying to absorb that. He really hoped Lance was right.

“And if it doesn’t get easier,” Lance said, voice heavy, “I guess we’ll have to have a long, hard discussion and maybe walk away.”

Shiro froze. “I don’t think I want that.”

Lance moved to hold Shiro’s gaze, heavy with intent. “Isn’t that enough for now?”

Shiro thought about tonight, eating dinner by himself and enjoying the quiet. He thought about how Keith’s eyes would look in the sun when they went hiking. About coming home and getting dirt all over Lance as he kissed him hello, and Keith laughing as Lance squawked and pushed him away. He thought about how both Lance and Keith’s expressions would turn soft as they hugged, but then how quickly they’d start to bicker again.

He wanted that, even if just for a moment.

“Yeah,” he replied. He saw Lance’s eyes soften and his blue eyes glitter as Shiro answered.  
“I guess it is.”


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Shiro go for a hike and learn a lot about each other in the process.

The weekend came quicker than Shiro was expecting. Keith texted as soon as he got home that night, after his arcade date with Lance, to say he was free Sunday. They agreed to meet at Shiro and Lance’s place at 6am, they’d take Shiro’s jeep to the nearby hiking trail.

Lance had spent most of Saturday making lunches and snacks for them and packed them into Shiro’s rucksack.He was a worrier, but Shiro was happy to let Lance worry for him. He liked the attention.

He got out of bed quietly at 5:30 am, careful not to wake Lance. Lance had said he never wanted to see that time on the clock again, after college, and Shiro didn’t want to have to hear that rant again. Also, Lance could always do with more sleep.

So, Shiro left him be as he made breakfast as quietly as he could. He dressed in the living room, because he knew the rustling would wake his sleeping soulmate. Sadly, all his care was wasted when the buzzer rang loudly at 5:55am, breaking the peaceful quiet. Keith was here.

Swearing softly, Shiro buzzed him in. He heard stirring from the bedroom.

“Hey, kitten.” He whispered, tiptoeing back into the room. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

“S’okay.” Lance mumbled, stretching his long limbs and tangling them in the sheets. “Wanted to say goodbye…”

“We’re only going to be gone a couple of hours.”

“Exactly,” Lance said sleepily. “Need to see you off.”

“Alright,” Shiro huffed, amused. “Will I make you some coffee?”

Lance made a noise Shiro couldn’t interpret, so he went to make some just in case. It was just about ready where there was a knock at the door.

“Good morning,” he said to Keith as he opened the door. Keith was holding two to-go cups of coffee in his hands.

“Morning,” he grinned and handed one over to Shiro.

Shiro grinned, gave Keith a quick cheers and took a sip. It was perfect.

“We nearly ready to head out?”

“Yeah,” Shiro said. “Just going to get my backpack and we’re out the door.”

They walked into the kitchen together, to find Lance, wrapped in a blanket burrito, cradling the drink Shiro had made him in his hands.

“Hey Lance,” Keith said.

“What are you wearing on your feet?” Lance demanded tiredly.

Shiro looked down and saw what Lance meant. The shoes Keith was wearing looked like they were held together by duct tape. The laces were tattered and didn’t look long enough to tie shut, the sole on the left foot was flapping off, and the tongue was missing on the right one.

“Uh,” Keith said, tone defensive. “Boots?”

“They look like they’re about to fall apart.” Lance reiterated.

“They’re a little old, sure, but they’re fine!” Keith said.

Shiro wasn’t sure. “I dunno Keith, they don’t look like they’ll survive the trek. It’s pretty bad.”

“They’re fine!” Keith insisted.

“Maybe we should put today off, wait until you get another pair.” Shiro suggested as gently as he could.

“No!” Keith exclaimed. “They’re fine, I swear! I just haven't gone hiking in a while and didn’t realise they were so… old. But they’re tough, I know they’ll last! Please, don’t cancel.” He looked and sounded desperate by the end of it, but Shiro couldn’t see another option. He didn’t even know how Keith made it up the stairs alive.

“What size are you, you can borrow mine.” Lance said, already turning back to the bedroom to get them.

“What?” Keith asked, incredulous. “Are you sure?”

Lance waved him away with a sleepy mumble, and Shiro heard the thump from the bedroom of shoes falling.

Eventually, Lance returned with his hiking boots. He tossed them at Keith, who caught them despite his confusion.

“If they fit, keep ‘em.” He said. “If you two are going to keep this up, hopefully I never need them again.”

“Alright,” Shiro scoffed. “Tell me how you really feel.”

Lance swayed slightly to knock his shoulder against Shiro’s. He took a swig of his coffee and dropped the cup in the sink, leaning heavily into Shiro as he did. To Keith he asked “Do you think they’ll fit.”

Keith quickly tore off a shoe and dropped it to the ground to try on the ones Lance gave him. Shiro was surprised it didn’t fall apart on impact. They waited as Keith shifted his foot and took a few steps. “Fits perfectly.” he smiled softly.

“Good,” Lance yawned. “Now both of you get out of here,my bed is calling me.”

Shiro huffed out a breath of light laughter. “I’ll see you later,” he said, pulling Lance in for a kiss before he retreated back to the bedroom.

Lance did take a detour to lean into Keith, in what would have been a hug if Lance had let go of the blanket wrapped around him. Keith leaned back in to him and said “Thanks for that Lance.” Lance just hummed in response before plodding back to the bedroom.

“Let’s get out of here,” Shiro said, picking up his bag. Keith grinned at him.

They made their way to the garage quickly and in silence. It didn’t feel awkward but it wasn’t relaxed either. Shiro blamed it on the early morning and the coffee jitters.

Shiro unlocked the jeep with a click of his keys. He loaded their bags into the trunk while Keith climbed into the passenger seat.

They drove in silence, the radio playing quietly between them. Shiro headed north, in the direction of his favourite hiking trail, and one that wasn’t too hard for novices. Or, in Keith’s case, the out of practice.

Shiro would normally have made small talk, but he was enjoying the peace of the morning. There were very few cars on the road this early on the weekend, it was enjoyable. The sun was rising, casting a warm glow on the inside of the jeep. It was serene.

They had made great time, thanks to the lack of traffic but the hiking trail itself seemed busy enough, with a dozen or so cars parked at the base of the trail. It _was_ the season for it.

“Really looking forward to this,” Shiro said as he parked the car. “It’s been ages since I went hiking properly.”

Keith smiled at him, but there was a look he couldn’t quite place on Keith’s face. Was that apprehension? But Keith looked away before Shiro could determine.

“This place is gorgeous,” Keith said, casting his gaze towards the wooded hills in front of them. “How long is the trail?”

Keith opened the door and hopped out, getting their bags as Shiro answered.

“I was thinking we could do the 5k one today, since it’s been a while.”

Keith turned back to face Shiro with a frown. “Why, which one do you normally do?”

Shiro finished strapping the rucksack in place and regarded him for a moment before answering. He was determined. “Lance would never do more than the 10km trail, but there was one that’s about 25 that I was trying to train for.”

“Well, let’s do the 10k then!” Keith said. “I don’t see why we can’t, I can handle it!”

“Keith,” Shiro huffed, shaking his head. “It’s fine, the 5k trail is nice. Very scenic and not too strenuous. We can actually talk to each other if we go that route.”

“But the 10k is what you used to do, don’t hold back because of me!”

“I’m not holding back -” Shiro started but Keith cut him off.

“Good!” he declared, and turned toward the start of the trail. “Let’s get going, we’re losing daylight.”

Shiro laughed, unsure whether to be amused or shocked. So much for his plan, that went right out the window. Guess that’s just Keith.

Shiro followed behind as Keith stomped ahead on the trail, hands clasped onto the straps of his backpack, determined. He caught up to him easily, and the made their way up the trail together. The rising sun filtering its light through the green foliage.

It was quiet again, but it was easier this time. They were both focused on something, on following the mountain path. But, now Shiro wanted to ask questions. He wanted to know more about Keith.

“When did you go hiking before, Keith?”

“It was something they did in foster care.” Keith replied, not taking his eyes off the rising trail in front of him. He was very focused on making it past these inclined rocks in one piece. “I dunno, I think they thought bringing is out into nature or exercising would keep us out of trouble. Didn’t work, but it was something I tried to keep up after I moved, and some of my foster parents loved it.”

Shiro was silent for a moment. “I didn’t know you were in the foster system.” He said, moving closer to Keith.

Keith sighed, and pushed himself ahead again. “Yeah, it’s not really something I’m proud enough to share.”

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of though.” Shiro said, placatingly.

“I know that,” Keith replied, taking long striding steps to increase the distance between them, following the winding path and was briefly hidden by a large shrub on the path. Shiro hurried to catch back up with him.  “I know that, I had some great friends in the foster system, and I had some great families too. But a lot of people hear ‘foster kid’ and think ‘trouble’ or ‘issues’.” Keith was breathing heavily now, pushing himself up a small rock hill as he spoke. He didn’t need to, there was a way around. But, Shiro followed him. “So, I just… keep quiet. Easier that way.”

Shiro caught up to Keith, he was really trying to keep ahead of Shiro this whole hike. He laid his hand on Keith’s shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. “I don’t think you’re trouble.”

Keith shrugged, and looked away. “Doesn’t matter really anyway. I’m not in foster care anymore so…”

“It does matter.” Shiro said, firmly. “And you shouldn’t be afraid to talk about it. I’d love to hear about it, if you ever want to share.”

Keith shrugged again, but this time he seemed to be hiding a small smile. “Maybe another time.”

Shiro smiled too, and together they made their way through the trail. Shiro recounted a few stories as they went. Ones of Lance, being a drama queen, of Hunk and Allura joining them, and being put to shame by them both. Of Allura’s crazy old uncle who seemed at home on the trails, bags overstuffed and helmet on like he was about to trek the jungle.

Keith laughed as Shiro regaled him with his tales, and he joined in with a few from his youth. Then he told Shiro about when they went camping once, which ended in disaster.

Shiro had a few stories from his youth of camping too, and how he never wanted to go again.

“You’re not serious,” Keith huffed.

“I am 100% serious,” Shiro laughed. “I accidentally peed on a snake. I was terrified it was going to bite me, so I ran away screaming.”

“Did you stop peeing before you ran?” Keith asked, laughing.

Shiro barked out a laugh. “Are you kidding? If anything, it made me piss myself as I ran! I showed back at our camp, pee all over my pants and with it still hanging out. My mom didn’t know which to yell at me for first!” Shiro chuckled.

Keith laughed, but not for long. He was still out of breath  


They’d made it to the top of the peak, past the halfway point in the hike. Shiro didn’t know how they’d spent over an hour here. Sure, it was about 7 km but it was all uphill, over rocks and stones, through grass. It was a long enough journey. Keith was certainly pushing himself, his chest heaving from the exertion. It didn’t help that the entire hike he’d been trying to outpace Shiro instead of taking it easy. It was starting to take its toll.

“Want to take a break here?” Shiro asked, gently.

“Why?” Keith huffed between breaths. “I’m fine.”

Shiro gave him a look. He gestured ahead of them a few feet. “There’s a little ledge up there, we can stop for a few minutes, get some water and snacks. Get some energy back.”

“Don’t know why you think I need a break,” Keith panted. “I’m doing better than ever.”

Shiro rolled his eyes, but headed towards the ledge anyway. “Sure you are, champ.”

Keith followed him, reluctantly. “We can keep going, Shiro. You don’t need to stop for me,” he insisted.

“I’m not,” Shiro replied, shuffling to sit down, legs swinging over the edge. “We’re stopping because this is the perfect place to take a rest and have some snacks. Did I tell you Lance made us sandwiches?”

Keith looked apprehensive, but sat down next to him. “I don’t think I could eat a sandwich right now, if I’m being honest.” He smiled, bashful.

“Well,” Shiro said, shrugging the backpack from his shoulders. “Let’s see what else he packed for us, shall we?”

Shiro opened his bag and quickly grabbed the bottle of water and took a few large gulps. He tossed Keith his bottle, but he fumbled in catching it. Then Shiro pursued the bag. “Well, we’ve got some trail mix, jerky, some granola bars and some fruit.”

“I’ll take a granola bar then,” Keith said, reaching towards him. Shiro helped himself to some jerky and a banana. They munched in comfortable silence for a few moments, taking in the gorgeous view in front of them. The sun was higher in the sky now and the forest around them was bright. The way it went from hills and trees and blended quickly into a city skyline amazed Shiro every time he saw it. It was gorgeous.

He turned to say it to Keith and was struck by the sight. Keith was staring straight ahead, the sun shining on him, making his hair glow and eyes light up the most spectacular colour. Shiro thought the view ahead made him breathless, this was something else entirely.

Keith turned to smile at Shiro, who tried to return it but it felt strangled. He was just…. Utterly floored by how _beautiful_ Keith looked right then. His face relaxed, and happy as he gazed out over the nature. How at peace he was, and how the light and atmosphere just added to that. Shiro couldn’t quite believe it.

He wanted to say something, and he’d tried to, though he had no idea what he was going to say. All that came out when he opened his mouth was a strangled noise.

“Are you alright?” Keith asked, concerned.

“Yeah,” Shiro choked. “Yeah I just… love it out here.” He tore his gaze away from Keith, not trusting himself to keep from telling Keith how gorgeous he found him

“Yeah?” Keith asked.

Shiro nodded. “When I came back from deployment, hiking really helped me. It was always so quiet and that was something I needed.”

Keith looked taken aback by that, and Shiro was too. He hadn’t planned on saying anything about that, he still had trouble talking to Lance about what happened when he was in the military, yet here he was opening up to Keith about his recovery.

“Is that…” Keith started, unsure. “Is that where you lost your arm?”

Shiro took in a deep, struggling breath and nodded.

“Sorry,” Keith rushed. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No,” Shiro responded. “No, it’s okay. I don’t mind, it’s just… it’s still hard to talk about it sometimes.”

“Sorry,” Keith said again.

“I did love coming here for the quiet,” Shiro said. “It was one of the few places I felt like myself after it all happened. Nothing felt as loud as my own mind when… when I found out.”

“What did happen?” Keith asked, carefully.

Shiro sighed again, the memory heavy on his chest. But he wanted to tell Keith, even if it was tough. “Rouge IED, inside a building we were in the middle of clearing.” Shiro’s voice sounded rough to his own ears, but he was trying not to let the memory overwhelm him. The dust in the air, the burning sensation all over his body, the strange numbness he felt in his arm. The arm he lost… “My ears didn’t stop ringing for days afterward.”

Keith frowned in sympathy, and reached out to pat Shiro’s leg.

Shiro smiled at him, and reached out to squeeze Keith’s hand. The touch still didn’t feel right to Shiro, but it felt more natural than anything else. They were getting there.

“They sent me home after a few weeks, I was discharged. But I was terrified to come back, in case Lance would leave me or-”

“Lance would never.” Keith asserted, quickly and easily.

Shiro smiled. “I know. He made sure I’d always know too.”

Keith’s answering smile was tight. “You two are so lucky to have each other,” he said.

Impulsively, Shiro responded: “Luckier now, that we have you.”

There was a moment in which Keith was shocked, then he blushed harder than Shiro had ever seen. His entire face, neck and ears went bright red. He tried to stutter out a response, but Shiro laughed and clapped him on the back.

“I don’t know how this three way soulmate thing is going to work out,” Shiro said. “But I do know you’re going to be sticking around us for a long time Keith.”

Shiro didn’t know how he knew, or why he said that but it was true. It was a fact he felt down to his very core. He might not be ready for much else, but he was ready to accept Keith’s place in their lives for a long time to come. And whatever else came, they’d be ready. But for now, sitting and talking with Keith in one of his favourite places was enough.

Keith hid whatever other response he had by taking a large swig of water. Shiro helped himself to more jerky, and just enjoyed the view.

“I, um,” Keith said, breaking the silence. “One of the first long-term foster families I had… they loved hiking. I was never actually a fan of it, but we’d gone a few times as a group.”

Shiro blinked, surprised by this outburst, but didn’t interrupt Keith as he spoke.

“But, this couple, they loved it. And I told them I liked it to, hoping uh.” Keith paused to clear his throat, voice heavy. “I wanted to stay with them as long as I could. So, they brought me hiking every other weekend. And I grew to like it too.” Keith was looking at his feet as he spoke, kicking them back and forth, slightly. “One of them, he gave me his old shoes, because they were my size and it was… in my head it meant I was the perfect fit for the family or something. I thought it meant I’d get to stay with them.”

Shiro couldn’t help the breath the left his chest, understanding.

“I don’t even remember why I had to leave, if it was the system or schools or something else, but I had to go. And… he let me take the boots with me.” Keith finished.

Shiro… he had no clue how to respond to that.

“Keith,” he said, hoping words would come.

“I know it’s lame, and I’ll never throw them out, no matter how ragged they are. But I wanted to bring them with me today.”

Shiro swallowed.

“I like Lance’s pair too, though.” Keith smiled, finally turning to face Shiro.

Shiro saw the nervousness in Keith’s expression, and knew it mirrored his own. He wasn’t sure how to respond that, to the story, to Keith willingly sharing that part of himself when he’d said he wasn’t proud of it. To what such a simple gesture from Lance meant to him. 

He knew he’d done the same, he’d told Keith a story from the hardest part of his life, albeit a much tamer version but he told it, and he’d told Keith how he was important to him and Lance. And now, here was Keith returning the favour. Opening up.

Shiro felt a light in him he hadn’t felt and something in him clicked right then. Yeah, this was definitely going to work out between the three of them.

“C’mon,” he said eventually, standing up. He reached his hand out to Keith, pulling him up. “We’re burning daylight, gotta the finish the trail at some point.”

Keith grinned, and together they packed up and made their way side by side to the bottom of the mountain.

 

* * *

 

Lance had spent his day engaging in acts of self care. He’d given his skin a deep exfoliation, he’d moisturised. He’d cleaned and aired out the bedroom and the living room. He’d even done some yoga!

But now, sitting on the couch, face mask on, his favourite movie playing and a drink in front of him… he was bored. He missed Shiro.

He’d only been gone a few hours but Lance wasn’t used to his days being spent alone. Sure, he could have made plans with Hunk or Pidge but it just didn’t sit right with him. He’d wanted to wait, and see Shiro and Keith when they came back. Or be nearby if they called. Lance didn’t know _why_ they would call, but just in case, y’know. 

Eventually, he gave up. With a groan, Lance lifted himself from the couch, washed off the mask (didn’t want to dry out his face) and picked up the phone.

It rang for a moment.

“Hello?”

“Entertain me, Hunk,” Lance wailed. “I’m bored.”

Hunk sighed. “Shiro not back from his date yet?”

“No, and I don’t know what to do when he’s not here.”

“Want me to call over?” Hunk suggested. “We could bake cookies and you could paint my toenails.”

It was tempting, Hunk’s cookies were incredible, and even when Lance stole his recipe they never turned out the same. “I dunno, what if Keith walks in and freezes because you’re here?”

Hunk sighed, and Lance could just picture his face as he was utterly done with Lance’s crap.

“I mean, I did offer for you to come hang out here, but you didn’t want to leave the house,” Hunk reasoned. “If you can’t leave, and I can’t come over, what else do you want to me to do?”

“I dunno,” Lance whined. “I’ve done everything humanly possible in this house and if they don’t come back soon I’m going to go crazy. Just tell me something to distract me.”

“Well, Shay’s gone home to visit her family so I’m trying to clean the place up and make her favourite meal when she gets home.” Hunk said. Shay was Hunk’s soulmate, they’d met three years ago and were just settling down together now.

“Oooh, nice,” Lance said. “How long is she going to be gone for?”

“She’ll be home later tonight, it was only a weekend thing.”

They continued to chat for a while, about Shay, how things had been since Hunk had moved in with her as well as news about Allura’s business and just general chit chat.

They only stopped when Lance’s stomach growled. Hunk laughed

“Wow, that was bad, I heard it through the phone!”

Lance chuckled too. “Well done Hunk,” he said. “You did such a good job of distracting me, I forgot to eat lunch!”

“Go eat something before you collapse,” Hunk said. “And I’ll see you next weekend for board games, right?”

“You got it,” Lance confirmed. “See you later, Hunk.”

He’d just finished making eggs for himself when he heard a key in the front door. His heart leapt.

“Hey,” he heard Shiro’s voice call. “Lance, we’re back!”

Lance couldn’t contain himself and he raced to the doorway.

“Hi!” Lance said, as soon he saw them. They were both covered in dust from the trail, and they looked tired but happy. Shiro shrugged the backpack off his shoulders to pull Lance in for a kiss.

“How did it go?” Lance asked, but then squawked, shoving Shiro away. “Shiro! Did you not shave this morning?? OW!!”

Shiro laughed, gripped Lance tighter and rubbed his stubbly face all over Lances.

“Stop!” Lance wailed. “Stop it my poor face will be covered in dirt and stubble burn!” Lance laughed, pushing on Shiro’s shoulders, but making no real effort to get away. “Stop it, you heathen!”

Shiro let Lance go with one last laugh, said “I’m going to dump this,” and walked away.

Lance turned to Keith, who had watched their interaction with a sad smile.

“Hey,” Lance said, reaching out to hug him too. “How did it go?”

“Really well,” Keith smiled, leaning into the hug, hands placed lightly on Lance’s shoulder blades.

“Good,” Lance said, “I’m glad.” Neither of them moved for a moment, but they did eventually pull away.

“Why are you holding a spatula?” Keith asked.

“My eggs!” Lance raced to the kitchen, Keith trailing behind him laughing. He’d just managed to get there in time, and quickly moved them from the pan to a plate.

“Thanks again for the shoes,” Keith said, quietly from behind him.

“It’s nothing,” Lance said. “Honestly, you’d probably put them to better use than I ever would.”

“Really?” Keith drawled, sarcastically. “You seem like such an outdoorsman.”

Lance poked him with the spatula, taking in Keith’s dusty and tired appearance, but he seemed happier than when Lance had last seen him. More relaxed. Keith laughed.

“Seriously though, thanks.”

Lance, unthinkingly, grabbed Keith’s hand and held it to his chest. “Seriously,” he said. “I was happy to do it.”

They stood like that for a moment, and Lance didn’t know what to do with this randomly tender moment, so he had to ruin it.

“Get off me, I want to eat my eggs.”

Keith snorted and took a step back, dropping Lance’s hands as he did. “I’d hate to come between a man and his food.”

“Smart move,” Shiro said, joining them. “Lance get’s very hangry.”

“I do not!” Lance said, affronted. “Why would you even joke about that? I’m perfectly calm!”

Shiro and Keith both laughed at him, and Lance grumbled. Damn them.

“I’d better get going,” Keith said after a pause. “Thanks for today Shiro.”

“No problem,” Shiro said. “I had a great time.” Keith grinned.

“Can we do something the three of us next?” He asked, eager.

Lance beamed at him. “I know I’d be up for it.”

“Same here.” Shiro smiled. “Text us and let us know when you’re free?”

“Will do,” Keith said, and step toward Shiro, arm outstretched. Shiro took it and pulled Keith into a hug. Lance nearly gasped, he didn’t think he’d seen them _hug_ before. Keith nestled his head into Shiro’s neck, smiling softly before they let go. Then Keith turned toward Lance. In a daze, Lance opened his arms, he wasn’t going to turn down a hug off his soulmate. But, Keith had a different move in mind. The feel of his lips on Lance’s cheek made everything stop.

Lance barely registered when Keith left, he just stood frozen. Keith… had kissed him? He reached his hand to touch the part of his cheek, warmed by kiss. Had that really happened?

He only moved when Shiro jostled him lightly saying “I hope there’s enough eggs for me,”

Lance smiled. He didn’t know what happened on their date, and he wouldn’t ask (yet) but he knew something had changed. And better things were coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of the chapter feels super rushed, and I pored over it for days and couldn't think of anything to make it feel more polished, so I'm sorry if it sucks. But, I am quite happy with how the Sheith date went. What do you guys?
> 
> Don't forget I'll always welcome questions over on my rarely utilized [tumblr ](http://arrynzek.tumblr.com/)! Comments are always appreciated. <3


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance misses Keith, and they have a heart-to-heart.

Because they all worked different schedules, organising their next date was hard. Lance worked 9 to 5 Monday to Friday, but Keith worked almost every weekend and Shiro’s schedule changed week to week. It was tough to try and find a time that suited all of them.

Nearly two weeks went by before Lance saw Keith again. They’d all texted (separately. They hadn’t made the step to group chat yet but it was coming) often enough, and that was fine but Lance missed the feeling of being around his soulmate.

 So one Thursday, when he was sitting at home, alone, while Shiro was working late, he sent a  text to Keith.

Lance:

_where are you i wanna see you._

Keith’s response came a few minutes later:

**I want to see you too. Just finished work, about to head grocery shopping. Want to get a drink after?**

 But Lance didn’t want to get a drink. So much of what they’d done together felt like manufactured moments, like a precursor to an actual relationship. He wanted something that would feel more organic. Maybe he was getting old, but he didn’t want to date Keith. He wanted the relationship he had with Keith to feel like the one he had with Shiro, just living life with the other in it. So, he text back

_idc i just want to see you. Where are you going shopping, i’ll tag along_  

Keith: **You sure? It’s going to be boring**

Lance: _Yup,i have a big meeting tomorrow, i shouldn’t drink. where are you?_

Which was a total lie. But Keith didn’t need to know that, and Lance desperately wanted to see him.

Keith responded with the name of a grocery store super close to Lance’s home, which made sense, as Keith did work nearby. He wouldn’t exactly be travelling miles and miles after work, just to get some food.

_be there in 10_ Lance text back, and quickly grabbed his satchel and rushed out the door.

He made it to the grocery store in record time, panting a quick hello to Keith who was waiting outside.

“Hey,” he grinned. “It feels like forever since we saw each other!”

“I know!” Lance whined. “It’s been too long, I miss you!”

Keith laughed, and leaned to hug Lance. “Alright, you drama queen,” he said. “Let’s get in there, before the food goes stale.”

Lance grumbled, but let Keith gently nudge him toward the door, relishing in the hand on his lower back. He’d really missed Keith.

Shiro had once told Lance how different simple things like this were when you’re with your soulmate. Lance hadn’t fully believed him, until he’d experienced it for himself. He was also so sure he’d be 100% happy with Shiro, and that he wouldn’t need to find his soulmate to be fulfilled. But then he saw Keith’s smile, and felt his skin on his own (even if it was just hands, or arms). It was a touch in a way he’d never experienced before.

Now he felt like he understood Shiro a lot more. Why he was so affectionate toward Lance, why he never went a day without some innocuous touch to Lance’s arms, or face, or stomach. There was no word to describe the feeling when your soulmate was touching you. It just felt like the world was right. And even now, through his shirt and Keith’s gloves, he felt more secure in himself, to be so close to him again after all this time. Now, even after knowing Keith a short time he couldn’t image not having this in his life. The connection, the feeling, the touch, just everything he felt when he was around him.  


It was late enough in the evening, but the grocery store was busier than Lance expected. This wasn’t exactly a large store, just slightly larger than a convenience store, but it had just about everything, if it was lacking in some of the wider options. Lance didn’t shop here often, only if they needed something urgently at home, but he was familiar with it. Keith dropped his hand from Lance’s back as he reached for a basket.

The cashier in the nearest station to them smiled and waved hello at Keith. Keith smiled back. “Hey Chantal!” He said before walking away.

“You know her?” Lance asked, as they turned into the store.

Keith looked confused. “Kinda?” He said. “I come here a lot, so I talk to most the staff, they all know me and are friendly enough.”

Lance didn’t respond. Sure, he was polite and chatted with the people in stores, but he never greeted them like a friend, nor they him. It definitely took him by surprise. Keith, who said he didn’t have any friends, was able to greet the cashiers in stores by name.

“So, what are we here to get?” Lance asked, forgetting about that enigma for now.

“Just some food for lunch tomorrow,” Keith replied. “Maybe some breakfast, and some snacks.”

“Sounds good,” Lance smiled. “Lead the way.”

Keith chuckled. “Over here,” he said. “The discount fruit and veg should be in this fridge here.”

Lance was silent then. Discount fruit and veg? Why would you want to buy fruit and veg at a discount?

He said nothing however, and followed Keith over. Lance examined the selection of food in the discount fridge, and the shelf next to it. It was mostly things that were close to expiring, and not anything Lance would buy. Unless it was the only option in the store, but Keith seemed familiar with this as he browsed the selection with intent. He picked up some potatoes, scallions, tomatoes, a tray with baby corn and sugar snap peas, mushrooms and two peppers all of which were a day away from going out of date, before moving to the shelf section.

“What are you thinking of making for food?” Lance asked.

“Just a quick stir fry,” Keith responded absently. “Or some noodles for lunch and the stir fry for dinner, I’m not sure.”

Lance nodded. Keith then added some microwave rice, some sauces in either a tub or a sachet, a 50c pack of candy bars and a bag of cookies off the shelf.

Lance was honestly a little surprised by what Keith was doing. He was carefully selecting everything he picked up from the shelves, examining them for faults, or their expiry dates before selecting them, and even then he seemed to be counting up how much it all cost under his breath as he went. Lance had never really thought about Keith’s finances before now. He’d guessed because he worked so much he must be doing alright. But maybe not, or maybe not as well as Lance had initially thought.

But, those thoughts were a little heavy for the moment at hand. So, he linked arms with Keiths, and decided to tell him a story from work this past week as they perused the isles. Keith continued on, picking up a few things like eggs, cereal and porridge, frozen chicken and fruit, milk, cheese and some yogurt drinks, and even more discounted foods like yoghurt and pizza, that were in the freezers. All the while, Lance chatted. About work, about Shiro, about his friends. He told Keith about their board game nights, and what kinds of games they played. Keith chatted back as they walked, making jokes and comments. He leaned into Lance when he laughed, and Lance felt glee from that weight, that connection. It was such a simple thing, but Lance loved it nonetheless.

They then took a detour to the meat aisle, where Keith picked up a bit of everything, and even went back a few times to drop something for another product that was on special, or came in a “three for $10” deal.

They made a few rounds of the store, Lance talking Keith’s ear off, Keith double checking the prices on his items before heading to the checkouts.

All in all, they’d been there maybe 30 minutes by that time, and Lance wasn’t sure how to make it last even longer.

Keith began to chat with the girl at the checkout, a different girl to the one who’d said hello to them on their way in. Keith told her he had vouchers with him, and just chatted idly. Lance reached out his fingers and snuck them into Keith’s hand.

Keith squeezed Lance’s fingers before letting and to whip two reusable bags out of his backpack, and Lance quickly began to help packing, all the while paying attention to how Keith was acting around the cashier.

The ease in which he chatted with her, about something he was buying, or looking for, made Lance see him in a whole new light. Keith had insisted he had no friends, and Lance assumed he was a bit of a jerk, or incredibly socially awkward, yet here he was, talking away as if this woman was one of his closest companions. Lance was bewildered. Maybe Keith didn’t know himself that well.

“I have a voucher that I can use if I spend $30,” Keith said. “But I can’t go too far over that either, I’m broke this week.”

“Aw no,” the cashier commiserated. “Still not getting good shifts?”

“They keep giving them to the newbies, who are under 18 so they don’t have to pay them minimum wage,” Keith grumbled. “They’d do anything to cut corners.”

They’d finished packing the bags up, and Lance held onto Keith again, this time loosely gripping onto his jacket.

The cashier clucked. “I’m sorry,” she said. “They do that here too, though. I’m due a raise next week and you can bet my hours will be going down after that.”

“It’s not fair,” Keith said. “But there’s nothing we can do.”

“Hm,” she agreed. “We’re at $41.73 now, is that okay for you?”

“Yeah, that should be fine” Keith smiled at her. He reached his hand into his pocket, pulling out his keys and some folded tokens. “Here’s my rewards card, and here’s the coupons I want to use.”

“Great,” the cashier replied and began scanning. She kept looking up to the screen to verify Keith’s items with the coupons. Keith reached down to hold Lance’s hand as they waited.

“You alright?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Lance smiled. “I just like watching you.”

Keith blushed at that, and Lance could see the cashier shooting Keith a look. Most likely trying to figure out who Lance was to him, but they were too preoccupied to acknowledge her.

“So that’s down to $35.25,” the cashier interrupted, handing Keith back his keys.

Before Keith could even move for his wallet, Lance said “I got this” and pulled out his phone. He ignored Keith’s noises of disapproval, and the pull to his arm as Lance quickly held his phone to the card reader and paid for Keith’s groceries.

The poor cashier looked conflicted, but probably wanted the whole interaction to end, if Lance knew anything about customer service, and accepted the payment, while glancing apprehensively at Keith.

Lance pocketed his phone once he heard the tone from the card reader, and picked up one of Keith’s bags. “We done?” He asked.

Keith flushed angrily, but nodded. “Thanks, Devin.” He said to the cashier before stomping away. Lance followed him.

“Have a great night!” the cashier, Devin, called after them.

Once outside the store, Keith rounded on Lance.

“What did you do that far?” he demanded in an angry whisper.

Lance shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “You mentioned money being tight, and I did ask you out on this date. The least I could do is pay.”

“You can’t do that!” Keith cried, his hands flying into the air. “I can pay for my own food. I’ve paid my own rent, my own bills for years now. I don’t need you coming in, taking care of it for me like it’s your right. It’s not.”

“Whoa, Keith,” Lance said, raising his hands in surrender. “It’s not about that, I was just-”

“You think just because I’m your soulmate you can come into my life and do whatever you want?” Keith demanded, taking a step closer to Lance, their faces nearly touching, his chest heaving in great gulps of air with every rage-filled breath. Lance could feel the anger rolling off him. “But guess what? You don’t. This is my life, and I can look after myself just fine. You’re not my soulmate either, so I don’t have to accept this.”

That stung, but Lance let it slide for now. “Keith, I swear,” he said. “That’s not what I was trying to do.” He took a step back. Keith turned away, his arms crossed but didn’t storm off again which Lance took to be a good sign. “I didn’t really think it through, I was just trying to be nice.”

“I don’t need your charity.” Keith spat over his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” Lance said truthfully. “Really. I just thought it was a nice gesture, it wasn’t about charity, or pity, or anything else. I just wanted to do something nice for you.”

He took a cautious step toward Keith, who didn’t react. Then another. He dropped his hand onto Keith’s shoulder, and Keith instantly relaxed. He turned and quickly buried his head in Lance’s shoulder. Lance quickly dropped the bag of groceries at their feet to wrap his arms around Keith.

“I’m sorry,” Keith mumbled after a few moments “I overreacted. I don’t know how to react to people being nice for no reason.”

“It’s alright,” Lance replied gently. “Come back to mine, we can talk about it.”

“I dunno,” Keith said. “I have an early shift tomorrow, and my groceries…”

“We have a fridge?” Lance suggested. Keith snorted. “C’mon,” Lance whined, tugging at Keith’s hands. “Shiro won’t be home for ages, he’s on the closing shift. We can have that talk, relax, just me and you.”

Keith was very easily convinced, it seemed. “Alright,” he smiled. “But I can’t drink tonight, I need to be functional in the morning.”

“No promises,” Lance winked, before picking up both shopping bags and rushing down the street.  


 

* * *

 

As soon as they entered the apartment, Lance quickly stowed Keith’s fridgeable items in the refrigerator, and left the remaining items in the bag on the floor next to it. Keith waited at the door for him, and together they made their way to the living area, and fell onto the couch. 

They giggled as they arranged themselves comfortably, curled up into each other, knees locked with the other, hands clasped. It was heavenly.

“I’m sorry,” Keith said. “About what I said earlier… About not having a right to my life just because I’m your soulmate.”

Lance swallowed. “I won’t pretend that didn’t hurt,” he said. “But I know you were just lashing out because I made you feel uncomfortable.”

“I still shouldn’t have said it,” Keith insisted, pulling their intertwined hands to his chest. “You’ve been nothing but amazing since this whole thing started, and you’re always so kind, and careful. You didn’t deserve me saying that, and I’m so sorry.”

Lance smiled. “Thanks.”

“Just don’t sneak-buy my groceries again,” he teased.

Lanced chuckled. “Trust me, I won’t make that mistake again.”

They sat in silence for a moment.

“Sometimes I feel like I’m going to be second best to you, because I’m not Shiro.”

Keith gaped at him for a moment. Then sighed.

“Yeah, I can see why I made you think that,” he said. “I don’t want you to feel that way.”

“I don’t want to feel that way,” Lance said, shuffling closer. “And, when Shiro and I, when he found out he wasn’t my soulmate, it was tough. But we’ve had years to make peace with that and work through our issues around it. It was tough, but we did it. I guess I just wasn’t prepared to have to go through it again. Or to have to look at someone and think they might be better for him than me.”

“You still shouldn’t feel like that around me,” Keith insisted gently. “I’m your soulmate, I should never make you feel unwanted. And while it was a surprise at first, you’ve made it so easy for me, and being around you makes me feel like I’ve never felt. Lance,” Keith sighed, looking deeply into his eyes. “Lance you’re amazing and I’m crazy about you. Don’t even doubt that.”

Lance blushed furiously. “I’m crazy about you, too,” he mumbled. Keith chuckled.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

Lance punched him softly.

“Sometimes I get jealous,” Keith said quietly. “And I feel like I don’t really have a place, jumping in on your 7 year relationship.”

Lance frowned. “I guess we haven’t been great about leaving that out, have we?”

“How could you though?”

“We still could have tried harder,” Lance said.

“This is just so complicated,” Keith said. “But trust me, Lance. I care about you so much.” Lance’s heart raced just hearing that.

“I want a relationship with you just as much as I want one with Shiro. And you’re not second best to him, you’re… something else entirely. I don’t know to explain it.”

Lance blushed furiously. “So... “ he hesitated. “You do want to be a part of this relationship?”

Keith’s face turned red so fast, it happened in before Lance even noticed. Lance giggled as Keith clamped up, and turned his face away.

“Well… I know we haven’t uh, we haven’t talked about since this started but…” he was avoiding Lance’s gaze, and to be fair, Lance was avoiding Keith’s too. He was not prepared for this tonight. “but… yeah. I want to do this, all three of us.”

Keith faced him then, still red, but just as determined as he was nervous.

Lance groaned and buried his head in Keith’s neck.

“I want to kiss you so badly right now,” he said. Keith started, and Lance could feel his pulse race. “But I shouldn’t. Not until we talk to Shiro about this.”

“Would… would he want that?” Keith mumbled.

Lance sat back up, missing the contact with Keith’s skin instantly. “Want you to be in our relationship?”

Keith nodded. He gripped Lance’s hands tighter, before moving to trail his hands along Lance’s wrist.

“Of course he wants that. Do you not think he does?”

Keith shrugged. “It’s hard to tell, we’ve barely spoken about it.”

Lance made a face. “Well, you’d better fix that, before we move on to actually being in a relationship, shouldn’t you?”

“Yeah,” Keith grumbled. “It’s just… hard.”

“I know it is,” Lance sympathised. “But you gotta do it. You want to be in our lives forever, you gotta work at it every now and again. And don’t worry,” he added “I’ll be giving Shiro a kick up the ass every now and again as well.

Keith smiled. “Thanks, Lance.”

They sat in silence a moment longer, Lance drinking in the presence of his soulmate, feeling his nails trace along his pulse point, their foreheads touching as they leaned into each other. Each moment of it felt exhilarating to Lance, but also like coming home. Like he was finding himself here, with Keith.

“You never told me,” Keith whispered, “what is was you used to daydream about. What you wanted in a soulmate.”

Lance thought for a moment. “I guess I didn’t. To be honest, it’s not something I’ve thought about in a while.”

Keith didn’t speak, giving Lance a moment to gather his thoughts.

“Well, since I started dating Shiro I didn’t really think about. I’d always told him I’d choose him over my soulmate, and that I loved him. He never really believed me, saying when I met my soulmate I’d feel differently.” Lance laughed softly, kissing Keith knuckles. “I get it now.

“But before that… before that I used to imagine a lot. An older guy, cool and suave who’d drive a cool car, and smoke. Someone younger who thought I was cool and suave. Or a big strong man who could bench press me.”

“And now you have Shiro,” Keith teased.

Lance smiled. “Mostly my fantasies were about how he… how _you_ would look. All the different combinations of eye colour, hair colour, length, style, all that stuff. I never imagined a mullet though,” he said, reaching to tug at it. Keith shrugged away from him. Lance giggled.

“I used to imagine… all the weird and dramatic and romantic teen movie style ways we’d meet. Would it be at the mall? At a fancy restaurant? Would our hands brush when reaching for the same book at the library?  Would the wind blow my hair around my face, would our first kiss be in the rain, all that fun stuff. The actual relationship…” Lance paused.

“Mostly I was young, y’know? And my ideals for a relationship were very 15-year-old Lance’s. Like, ‘he’ll only like the same music I like’ and ‘he won’t judge me for liking Twilight’, dumb things like that.”

Keith scrunched his nose. “You like Twilight?”

“I did when I was 15!” Lance said. “And if you were really my soulmate, it wouldn’t matter anyway!” They both laughed.

“Keep going,” Keith encouraged gently.

“I guess by the time I was thinking about a more serious and adult relationship, I was already with Shiro, and told myself I didn’t need to think about my soulmate anymore. Didn’t need to dream, I had the perfect guy.”

Keith’s silence was heavy.

“You didn’t want me?”

“No!” Lance exclaimed. “No no no! Don’t think that. How could you think that, after everything we’ve talked about no, no no.”

Lance sighed. “How do I explain this… Like okay. Shiro and I talked about what we’d do if I ever met you, a lot. Not that he knew it was you, just my general soulmate… you know what I mean. Especially when he learned I was his soulmate, and he already knew he wasn’t mine, so that was so tough on him. But we were happy together. I’d never been happier than when I was with him. I’d never felt so known, or loved by someone else. I thought a soulmate couldn’t compare. So, I told myself if I ever met my soulmate, that it was probably platonic, and to stop picturing the overly romantic things I had until now. And… I did.”

Keith hadn’t moved, like he was frozen. Lance hoped he hadn’t just ruined everything between them.

“But…” he continued. “As soon as we met each other, I knew it wasn’t platonic. As soon as I saw your name on that napkin, and that Shiro was your soulmate, I knew we were all meant to be together, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I knew I couldn’t live without you.”

Keith looked at Lance with tear filled eyes. It broke Lance’s heart, and he couldn’t help but cup Keith’s face in his hands, and cluck “Oh, _cariño.”_

“Sorry,” he wiped the tears from his eyes, but didn’t knock Lance’s hands away. “I don’t know… there was a lot there. Not sure how to react.”

“It’s alright,” Lance soothed. “I know it’s confusing, I’m sorry.”

“No, you were being honest,” Keith said, voice still strained with tears. “It’s not always easy to do, thank you.”

It was Lance’s turn to be patient, to let Keith get a handle on his tears before moving on.

“You’re incredibly important to me,” he said, when Keith stopped sniffling. “Please don’t think otherwise. You’re my soulmate, and I’ll never give up on you.”

“Thanks,” Keith smiled tearfully. He kissed Lance’s palm. Lance’s heart went into overdrive. He couldn’t deal with this, the amount of affection being share this whole evening, not to mention the yo-yoing emotions. It was all too much.

After a few long moment of silence, Keith asked “What did you mean Shiro didn’t know who I was?”

“Hm?”

“You said you only talked about your soulmate generally before, did Shiro not know about me?” Keith asked, curiosity plain on his face.

“No,” Lance said simply. “No, he never saw my soulmark, or knew your name.”

“Did he not want to know?” Keith asked, hurt creeping into his voice now.

Which, was kind of funny. Keith had no idea he was Lance’s soulmate, or that he wouldn’t be Shiro’s. Why would it upset him that his soulmate didn’t want to know who _his_ soulmates soulmate was? Without knowing he was his soulmates soulmates soulmate. Or… whatever.

“I never told him, because it was private.”

Keith look was quizzical.

“I just…. Wanted to keep that to myself.” Lance said, suddenly sheepish. “It’s my soulmate, y’know?”

“So… he never saw it?” Keith asked.

“He saw it that first day we met you,” Lance said. “When I saw your name on that note for him. But before that, no. Never.”

Keith was silent for a moment, his hand back to tracing Lance’s wrist. His left wrist, just below the band hiding his soulmark. Lance shuddered.

“Can I see it?” Keith asked, timidly.

Lance felt his heart stutter, and speed up.

“You want to see it?” He stammered.

“Yeah,” Keith said eagerly. “I haven’t seen it since that first time we all met, and you showed it me. You’ve had it covered every time we hung out since.”

Lance hadn’t realised that. He’d had his soulmark covered his whole life, because that’s what you did if you haven’t met your soulmate. But Lance, having met Keith… hadn’t even considered taking it off. Maybe because they weren’t in a relationship, he didn’t make the connection. But even now, if the comfort and safety of his home, with no one around other than his soulmate, the thought of having his mark bare petrified him.

“I can’t even remember the last time I took it off for anything other than showering,” Lance said, dazed. But, he moved to take the dark band off his forearm, so Keith could see his name on Lance’s arm. Lance pushed past that fear, knowing it only came from the fact that he’d never done it.

His arm felt naked without the band on it. Like he was hyper-aware of the air in the room touching every inch of his skin, and how heavy Keith’s gaze was.

When the band was completely removed, and thrown on the floor so Lance couldn’t grab it and put it back on, he bared his arm to Keith.

Keith lightly  and carefully held onto Lance’s left wrist, rearranging his arm so he could see it better.

He was very careful, never straying too close to the lettering as he grazed his fingers along the length of Lance’s forearm. The touch made Lance shiver. Keith’s eyes were wide with awe, the longer he looked.

“Lance,” he whispered, his tone reverent.

“Yeah?” Lance replied.

Keith’s eyes filled with tears again. “Lance, I’m really your soulmate.”

Lance chuckled lightly. “Did you not believe me the first time?”

“No,” Keith shook his head. “But, last time… I didn’t know you. Now, it’s like… it’s… we’re… you’re my…”

Lance laughed again. Keith was clearly overwhelmed.

“What will happen if I touch it?” he asked.

“Don’t.” Lance warned, reaching out to grasp Keith’s fingers before he tried. “The first time I touched Shiro’s we both cried.” That was after they’d been dating for a year, and it was well after Shiro discovered Lance was his soulmate. They’d talked about it beforehand and thought they knew what they were getting into. The rush of emotion, the new connection and strengthened bond that came from touching your soulmates mark was… powerful to say the least. It was a while after that before Lance tried to kiss it, and while it was normal for them now, it took a long time to build up to that.

Keith tore his eyes away from his name to meet Lance’s. “Oh yeah?”

“Seriously. It’s intense.”

Keith chuckled. “I’ll take your word for it.”

Lance let go of Keith’s hand, and he went back to tracing Lance’s arm instantly. It was so strange, seeing his arm without the band. As often as he’d fantasised about meeting his soulmate, and as often as he’d said the name aloud, he really hadn’t looked at his mark in a very long time.

“You should take your band off more often,” Keith said.

“Mmm,” Lance said. “Maybe. Just for you though. Only when I’m going to see you.”

Keith grinned up at him. “I’d like that.”

Lance smiled back. “Then I will.”

They sat like that, Keith gazing adoringly at his name on Lance’s arm, and Lance, watching his soulmate.

They didn’t realise how late it was, until a key jangled in the door, and Shiro walked in.

“Lance?” He called.

Keith turned and gave Lance a vaguely panicked look. It wasn’t that time already, was it?

“In here!” Lance called. “And you’ll never guess who’s with me!”

“Who?” Shiro asked, before appearing in the entryway. “Oh. Keith.”

Shiro looked surprised, but not negatively. Or maybe it was their position on the couch that surprised him, they were even more tightly coiled than when they sat down, with Lance’s knees resting on Keith’s stomach, legs tangled, Keith holding onto Lance’s naked arm.

“He let me tag along to his grocery shopping, and then I convinced him to come back here with me.” Lance grinned. “Wanna join us?”

Shiro smiled. “I’d love to. Just give me a second to get out of my work clothes.” He turned toward the bedroom, followed by Keith’s eyes.

He didn’t say anything, but Lance could tell he was nervous.

Lance hadn’t thought of something reassuring to say before Shiro returned. He was out of his workout clothes, and in a baggy shirt he liked to sleep in and some soft pants with ridiculous patterned fluffy socks. He chuckled when he saw the looks he got from both on the couch, so he ran and did a sock slide to the couch, before plopping down on Lance’s other side, arms wrapping around his waist.

“How was work?” Lance asked, kissing Shiro quickly on his jaw.

“Fine,” he mumbled, arranging himself on the couch. “Jay was the last to leave, as usual, that’s why I’m late. Wouldn’t get out of the damn shower, so I couldn’t clean it before we closed.”

Lance shot Keith a playful smirk. Neither of them had noticed the time slipping by, let alone that Shiro was late coming home. Keith smiled, ruefully.

“What’s this?” Shiro asked, gesturing to Lance’s arm.

“I asked to see it,” Keith responded hesitantly.

Shiro gestured, and Lance lifted his arm to him easily, forcing Keith to drop his grip. Shiro didn’t touch more than Lance’s wrist, for which Lance was very grateful. He was incredibly apprehensive of Shiro touching his soulmark. What would happen if he did? Would it feel wrong? Would it be painful? Would it damage his relationship with Keith? He didn’t know, which may have been part of the reason he’d never taken it off until now.

“Hm,” he said after a moment.

“What is it?” Lance whispered.

“I never thought I’d get to see this,” Shiro said thoughtfully. “And if I did… I imagined I’d be jealous. But sitting here with Keith… seeing this makes me happy.”

Lance couldn’t help but lean forward and give Shiro another quick kiss, even though he hated to do that with Keith watching. Like he was rubbing it in is face, that he could kiss Shiro while Keith couldn’t. But he was so overcome with love for him, of how supportive and amazing his boyfriend was, how could he hold back.

Once Lance pulled back from kissing his incredibly wonderful boyfriend, Shiro released his arm and immediately held out his own. Lance quickly latched onto it and quickly pressed another kiss into the skin there. He loved doing this, it felt like a confirmation of everything between he and Shiro when he kissed his soulmark, what bound them together. But he also held back, because of Keith.

Lance looked guiltily at him, but he was watching them with a soft expression in his eyes. Slightly envious, sure, but that was to be expected. But mostly seemed enamoured with them. For some reason, that caused Lance to blush.

“Can I see yours?” Shiro asked, surprising Keith.

“Uh… sure.” Keith moved to push up his sleeve, and he quickly tore off his glove as well. Shiro held Keith’s arms by the wrist as well, and gently tugged Keith’s arm closer to him. Lance relished in the closeness of all three, Shiro’s chest against his back, warming him and Keith a gentle pressure in front of him. After a moment, Shiro let go of Keith’s wrist before tracing an outline of the mark. Keith gasped at the contact, his was probably as sensitive as Lances. But, Shiro never crossed that invisible border, never touched the actual lettering on the mark, he just drank in what he was seeing. After a few moments of touching Keith’s arm, he spoke.

“I never thought I’d get to see my name on someone’s arm either.”

Lance’s breath caught hearing that. He’d never heard Shiro say something like that.

“Why would you think something like that?” Keith asked, softly.

“Because my name wasn’t on Lances arm, I thought I wasn’t good enough for anyone.”

Lance gasped out loud, and turned to face Shiro, but Shiro’s eyes never left Keith.

“And what do you think now?” Keith said, voice still soft.

Shiro sighed, taking a moment to gather himself. “It took me some time, but I’m starting to think… maybe I am. Good enough.”

“You definitely are,” Keith smiled.

Shiro smiled back, and raised Keith’s hand to his mouth, as he placed a gentle kiss to his palm.

Keith gasped. It was the first time any contact like that happened between them. Lance almost hated to be sitting in between them, blocking such a momentous moment. But you couldn’t pay him to leave either.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Shiro whispered into Keith’s hand, and Keith gently began to trace the scar on Shiro’s face.

“I should start heading home,” Keith replied, regretful. “I’m opening tomorrow.”

“Call in sick,” Shiro replied. “Stay here tonight.”

Keith blinked.

“What? Are you - are you sure?”

Shiro shrugged. “We have a spare bedroom. You can borrow some clothes for the night, and give them back next time you’re over. Why not?”

Keith glanced at Lance, who grinned.

After a moment, Keith grinned too.

“I’ll just give my manager a quick call."  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello its me making my bi-annual appearance with a new chapter.  
> in my defense, i started and ended a second job, my computer broke twice and i had to get it repaired and then it broke again and i had to get a new one.  
> hopefully the next chapter will be out this week.
> 
> unrelated, i'm a lil mad i didn't make keith a cashier. then each of these three would have my interests/career. shiro is my gym obsession, lance is my Career, and keith is my part time job. 
> 
> anyway i hope you enjoy the chapter and if i dont have a chapter out in a week, harass me on [tumblr! ](http://arrynzek.tumblr.com/%22)


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith stays overnight with Lance and Shiro

Lance listened as Keith spoke on the phone with his manager, saying his stomach didn’t feel great and he might not make it in to work in the morning.

He smirked at how terrible Keith was at playing up his sickness, yet he was still selling it hard. He was committed. It was cute. 

Shiro was off the following day, but it was a Friday and Lance was due to work. He figured he’d be alright, he’d arrived to work tired or hungover before, it wasn’t anything new. A few hours of talking with his boyfriend and soulmate wouldn’t be anything he couldn’t work through the next day.

Lance quickly headed into the bedroom and changed into something more comfortable for himself to wear, considering Shiro was already in his pyjamas.

Changing was strange. His left arm was still bare, and he wasn’t used to the feeling, as he took his shirt off and the fabric brushed the sensitive skin there. He glanced down at Keith’s name there and smiled. His soulmate was here, with him and his boyfriend. He was going to stay the night with them. Lance knew nothing was going to happen between them. They were still too insecure in their relationship for anything more than talking, and maybe some cuddling, but the prospect of waking up to Keith in his home? He was giddy with it. He placed a soft kiss to the mark on his arm, feeling nothing but joy with the prospect of the evening to come.

He should probably find something for Keith to wear. Shiro had said he could borrow something for the night. But Keith was so much skinner than Shiro, but leaner than Lance...

Lance quickly grabbed an old pair of his sweatpants, and an oversized shirt of Shiro’s. Something from both of them for Keith. That was fair, and was probably the only way they’d get something even close to fitting him.

Keith was just hanging up the phone when Lance walked back into the living room, clothes in hand.

“Think she believed me,” Keith grinned. “I never really call in sick, so she was so worried. I almost feel bad…”

“Don’t,” Shiro said from the couch. “How often have people called in sick while you were working? You survived, They’ll be able to work around it.”

“I know,” Keith smiled. “I could probably do with a day off anyway.”

“You definitely could,” Lance agreed, making both men turn to face him. “You practically live in that place.”

Keith smiled and shrugged.

“Here,” Lance held the clothes out to him. “Go get comfortable.”

Keith reached out to take the bundle from Lance, topped with his own pair of fluffy socks for Keith to wear, but laced his fingers with Lance’s before he could let go. Keith’s gaze bore into Lance’s, filled with such raw joy and affection, Lance felt his throat tighten.

“Thanks,” Keith whispered, squeezing his hand, before taking off in the direction of the main bathroom.

Lance grinned after him, before joining Shiro on the couch.

“Hi,” Shiro said.

“Hi,” Lance laughed, snuggling in close next to his boyfriend. Shiro’s arms wrapped around his waist as he settled with his back to Shiro’s chest.

Shiro pressed a quick kiss to Lance’s hair. “Missed you today,” Shiro said. “You were gone before I woke up.”

“I tried to wake you, to say goodbye,” Lance said. “But all you did was mumble and roll over. You didn’t sleep well, and it looked like you needed it.”

“Still missed you,” Shiro replied.

“Missed you too,” Lance smiled. He pressed a kiss to Shiro’s waiting lips. Shiro didn’t make any attempt to deepen this kiss, knowing Keith would be joining them shortly.

“What was that about, by the way?” Lance said, nodding his head to the hallway Keith had disappeared into.

“Inviting him to stay?”

“Yeah,” Lance confirmed. “Not that I’m complaining, in any way, but… why?”

Shiro sighed, and tightened his grip around Lance’s waist.

“This thing has been so hard on me, Lance,” he said. Lance squeezed Shiro’s wrist reassuringly. “And you’ve been trying so hard to make it work, and I have been too but it’s been… so weird for me to wrap my head around.”

“It’s okay,” Lance said, quietly.

“It has gotten easier,” Shiro continued. “Since spending time with him, just us. And it’s just been hard… trying to picture the three of us. When it’s me and him, I enjoy it, I love spending time with him. And when it’s you with him, I get that and I’m happy for you. But the three of us is hard to picture sometimes. I don’t know why, but it has been. Maybe I didn’t want to think about sharing you or losing you, or something. But when I walked in tonight and saw you two. It just looked right. And I didn’t want that to end yet.”

Lance smiled, softly. “I didn’t want to either,” he confessed. “I’m glad you asked him to stay.”

Shiro bent his head, to kiss Lance’s neck, and bury himself in the scent of his soulmate.

“I want to work on being good with all three of us. It’s going to be like that for a long time and I want it to feel that right and easy.”

“You need to talk to him about that though,” Lance said. “He thinks you didn’t want him in this relationship. You need to tell him what you feel.”

“That’s what tonight is about,” Shiro replied. “We’ll talk about all of us. Together.”

“Good,” Lance grinned. He heard a door click open from the hallway, and shut again. Lance decided to kiss Shiro one last time for the night, before Keith rejoined them. He couldn’t emphasise enough how much he loved his boyfriend, and how kissing him made Lance feel more secure in everything about himself. His life, their relationship, everything. And with Keith walking slowly up to them, it solidified his belief that this was right too. Keith spending the night with them would only help their relationship, all three of them. And how, officially, after tonight, he’d have another boyfriend. His soulmate. They broke apart seconds before Keith reentered the living room.

While Lance knew he’d be giving Keith his clothes, he wasn’t prepared for the sight of Keith wearing his shirt. Seeing his soulmate wear something of his, it did things to him. How the shirt was tight around his shoulders, emphasising how broad they were, yet loose around his waist. He almost couldn’t breathe, and he felt his stomach tighten, and a heat sunk low through his body.

Shiro seemed to be reacting the same way, Lance could hear his strained swallow upon seeing Keith in his old pants. Keith flushed under the attention, and hurried to rejoin them on the couch.

He sat the opposite side of Shiro, leaving the older man in the middle, and lifted his sock covered feet to the couch, curling in on himself a little.

Shiro immediately reached to link their fingers. “You alright?” he asked.

Keith nodded, eyes transfixed on the sight of his and Shiro’s interlocked hands. “The clothes smell like you… both of you. It’s nice.”

“Keith,” Shiro said seriously. “We should talk, all of us.”

Keith gulped. “Okay.”

“You can’t be nervous,” Lance teased lightly, “after everything you and I talked about.”

Keith tried to smile good-naturedly but he couldn’t maintain it. His eyes were jumping between Shiro and Lance nervously, not wanting to be caught off-guard.  

“Do you really think we’d break up with you on a night we ask you to stay over?” Reasoned Shiro.

A laugh pushed itself past Keith’s lungs. “No,” he acquiesced. “I guess not.”

Shiro squeezed his hand. “Keith we want to be with you. We want to move forward with this relationship.”

“I guess it’s a little fast,” Lance said. “But we know. We know already how important you are to us and we don’t want to lose you. We want you in this relationship with us, all in. If you want it.”  

“Are you sure?” Keith asked, voice timid.

His gaze never strayed from Shiro when he asked. He was still expecting a rejection from him.

“I’m sure,” Shiro confirmed. “I just… I need you to know I’m in this, but I might be a step behind you and Lance. But I’m still all in.”

Keith’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I never expected this,” Shiro said carefully. “And it’s just taking me time to get used to it all. It might take a little longer to be… affectionate. Or intimate.. But I’ll get there.”

Keith, who hadn’t recovered from his last bout of blushing, turned red once more.

“I don’t - I wasn’t - that is the last thing I was thinking about.” He stuttered. “That isn’t… don’t worry about rushing to that.”

Lance couldn’t help himself, he snickered. “You two are hopeless,” he cackled. “Holy crow I could watch you two try to talk about this for _days_.”

Shiro kicked him but laughed. “You know we need to have this conversation.”

“I do,” Lance chuckled. “So if you could actually have it, that would be awesome.”

“Shiro,” Keith interrupted, bringing them back on track. “I could tell you were reserved, but if you say you want me here, I believe you.”

“I do,” Shiro said, clasping both of Keith’s hands in his own. Keith smiled warmly.

“And if… _intimacy_ … is something you want to be slow about… I was in no rush anyway.”

“I tend to be slower than most in that area regardless,” Shiro said.

“And I’m more than happy to wait that out,” Keith continued. “For as long as you want me here.”

Shiro grinned. “Good. We can start by all three of us going on a proper date. Let us woo you?”

Keith laughed, bright and open. “I am already wooed,” he assured.

“How about board games?” Lance suggested. “Tomorrow night?”

Keith’s face was quizzical.

“We’re hosting a board game night for our friends,” Shiro explained. “If you wanted to meet them, you could come along.”

“You want me to meet you friends?”

“Of course we do!” Lance insisted. “You can hardly be our boyfriend without meeting them.”

Keith spluttered at the mention of the word, but his face was alight with a soft sort of happiness.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course we are.” Lance replied easily. “Are you sure you want to subject yourself to three hours of high stakes card playing?”

Keith raised his eyebrows to Shiro in question.

“Lance gets very competitive,” he explained.

“Oh yeah?” Keith said smugly, turning back to face Lance. “Bet I can make you cry before the end of the night.”

“Oh will you? C’mere!” Lance surprised them both and dove over the couch, making Keith and Shiro screech, and he began to tickle Keith fiercely.

“WHAT” Keith yelped, between fits of laughter. He was squirming, limbs flailing as he tried to escape Lance’s tickle wrath. Shiro shuffled up the couch, rolling his eyes.

One stray limb, a leg, kicked Lance away, winding him slightly. Lance grinned at Keith, slightly out of breath. He cocked an eyebrow in victory.

“Oh, you’re on.” Keith panted, before diving at Lance.

Lance squealed and leapt to his feet.

“You coward!” Keith exclaimed.

“It’s a legitimate strategy!” Lance sang, running around the couch away from Keith, who chased him around for a moment, and Lance expertly avoided him, easily dodging, turning on his feet to change direction, leaping over the arm of the couch. Lance had younger siblings, and he’d had nephews and nieces. He could do this for hours.

Lance turned to stick his tongue out at Keith, who made no response. Lance was stopped in his tracks when he hit something hard.

Keith was in front of him, having gracefully leapt over the back of the couch and tackled Lance into it, before flopping on top of him.

“Pinned ya,” Keith said.

Lance snorted. “Alright, I’ll let you have this one,” he said. “But I’m going to kick your ass in Monopoly tomorrow.”

“I look forward to it.” Keith replied.

“Are you done?” Shiro interjected. “Or should I leave you two to fight like children?”

Keith and Lance glanced at each other conspiratorially.

“Wait, no no no-!” Shiro hurried to say but Lance and Keith had already bounded across the distance between them to dogpile on top of the other man.

“Stop it!” He laughed, “Stop you animals!”

Lance was working hard, tickling Shiro in all the places he knew would most affect his boyfriend. Keith was giving great support, going everywhere Lance couldn’t reach. Shiro writhed in place, hands desperately trying to grab hold of one of the others, in futile attempts to stop them. They were moving too fast and too effectively for him to keep up. They knew what they were doing, and when Lance and Keith worked together, they could work wonderfully effective tickle torture.  

“I can’t breathe!” Shiro gasped. “Stop stopstopstopstopstop!”

The two attackers pulled back, eyes bright and faces flushed. Shiro still laughing airlessly between them.

“I hate you both,” he said fondly, catching his breath.

“Thanks,” Keith said, while Lance leaned forward to blow raspberries into Shiro’s neck. Shiro pushed him away, laughing still, but let his metal arm rest behind Lance’s head.

“Enough,” he chastised. “Good lord, is this what I’ve signed myself up for?”

“A life of laughter and joy,” Lance said, teasingly smug.

“I hope so,” Shiro grinned.

“What have I signed myself up for?” Keith asked, settling in next to Shiro, but still maintaining a slight distance. Like he was still unsure if he could be any closer. “With board games I mean. What are the others like?”

Lance smiled. “Shiro’s right, I am competitive. But don’t let him fool you, he has a temper and he doesn’t like to lose. We’ve had many incidents where he wasn’t happy with how the game was going, so the whole night was cut short.” Lance poked Shiro in the face. “Haven’t we, Kashi?”

Shiro slapped his hand away. “Oh yeah, act like it’s totally irrational to get a little peeved when everyone starts picking on me.”

“That’s the point of the game!” Lance insisted.

“The point is for one person to win!” Shiro cried. “Not for five people to make one lose!”

Lance quirked his eyebrows at Keith. “Yeah,” he said, gesturing. “Sore loser.”

Keith chuckled. “Was this the incident you mentioned that first day I met you? ‘I’m Sorry’ or something?”

Shiro crossed his arms and slumped into the sofa. “It’s called Sorry, and yeah. I was being bullied.”

Lance rolled his eyes. “It’s a game like Parcheesi, except there’s no dice. You have cards that tell you to move forward or back. One card lets you send one player back to the beginning, and it says Sorry.”

Keith snorted, guessing where this was going.

“Except, no one is ever sorry to play it,” Lance continued. “When you pull a Sorry, you just turn to whichever poor soul is being bullied that day, and say “I’m sorry!” in the most mocking and disingenuous voice ever.”

“Why would that make anyone mad, I wonder,” Keith pondered sarcastically.

“Right,” Lance mirrored. “There’s no way that can go wrong. So anyway, we were bullying Shiro, as is the spirit of the game, when Pidge played the Sorry card one too many times and Shiro lost it. I mean, he completely lost it.”

“I didn’t lose it _completely_ ,” Shiro said, still sulking.

“Shiro,” Lance said, as if he were explaining it to a toddler, “You threw your cards on the ground, knocked Pidge’s out of her hand, flipped the table, stormed out of the room yelling, and slammed the door so hard four photo frames fell off the wall. You lost it.”

Keith tried to suppress a snicker. Shiro turned on him with a glare. “Don’t you laugh, it wasn’t funny.”

“It’s a little funny,” Keith said, still withholding his laughter.

“I’ve never seen Allura laugh so much,” Lance recalled. “She couldn’t breathe, and her makeup was all over her face. Which didn’t help someone's mood, did it?” Lance babied. “What did you do next Kashi?”

Shiro sunk further into the couch, his knees were well above his head. He mumbled something unintelligible.

“What was that?”

“I pushed her off her chair,” Shiro repeated.

“That’s right,” Lance confirmed. “You stormed back out of the bedroom and pushed Allura to try and stop her laughing.”

“Did it work?” Keith choked out, still trying not to laugh. A rogue chuckle escaped but he clamped his hand over his mouth. Shiro glare-pouted at him.

“No,” Lance answered in his boyfriend’s stead. “She laughed so much harder, and it made Hunk join in which was” he paused to chuckle. “So much worse.”

“She was still laughing when Matt came to pick Pidge and Hunk up,” Shiro said. “Then he joined in and called me a pouty pants, and everyone lost it. Again.”

Keith could no longer hold in his glee, and burst into laughter beside Shiro, head bending forward to touch his soulmates shoulder. Shiro tried to nudge him away, his sulk deepening.

“I’m sorry,” Keith wheezed. “I’m sorry but that’s amazing.”

“Whatever,” Shiro said. “We haven’t played Sorry since.”

“I wonder why,” Keith rolled his eyes. “Clearly it was a success.”

“Right?” Lance grinned. “I’ve always wanted to revisit it.” He glanced hintingly at Shiro, and Keith quickly joined him.

“No!” Shiro said, leaning forward and turned to face the two scheming men. “No way! We agreed a five year veto. It hasn’t even been three!”

“But that was before Keith was here!” Lance reasoned. “He deserves to witness that!”

“Me at my worst?” Shiro said. “No way, not happening!”

“Please Shiro?” Keith whined. “It’s not fair I didn’t get to see this!”

“You can see it in two years, when the game’s probation ends.”

Keith pouted but gave in easily. “Alright, I’ll just have to make sure I’m around to see it.”

Lance tugged his soulmate closer to him. “You will be. Plus we’ve already decided what the games are going to be.”

“Exploding Kittens and Coup,” Shiro supplied. “We have a list of games we go through, and those are the ones we pulled last time.”

“You can watch for the first round or two if you want, try learn the rules.”

Keith smiled “Maybe. Sounds like it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

“Oh for sure,” Lance said. “Plus, Hunk and Pidge have been dying to meet you. This will be a good way for everyone to get to know each other, without too much pressure on you.”

“Remember the time Allura brought her boyfriend, and we scared him away with our Clue game?” Shiro said after a peaceful moment.

Lance snorted. “I think you’re being too generous to the guy. He ran away after 45 minutes. And Allura just shrugged and said he wasn’t cut out to be in her life anyway.”

“Poor guy, didn’t know what he was in for,” Shiro clucked with no sympathy.

Keith chuckled. “She sounds incredible, all your friends do.”

“She is,” Lance agreed. “She can be intense, but she’s awesome. I remember one time…”

Shiro and Lance shared more and more stories from their board game nights, which dated all the way back to college, it kept them going for hours on end. Keith did occasionally offer stories of his, with different families he’d lived with, to ones from shared homes. Mostly though, he was content to listen, to learn about Lance and Shiro’s friends, and the men themselves by extension. Keith was definitely getting to know them better, and become more comfortable around them and for that they were all grateful.

He eventually stopped holding himself so tightly, and sank into Shiro’s shoulder as he sat next to him, and found a lot of comfort in the warmth seeping into his skin from the contact.

Lance was in the middle of a story about a fraternity letting dogs loose on his college campus, but it was interrupted by a yawn.

“It’s getting late,” he said regretfully as he made to stand up “I have work in the morning, I should go to bed.”

“Don’t go,” Keith whined, reaching out to pull Lance back by the hand. “I thought we were all going to stay up and talk.”

“I can’t miss work,” Lance said, equally regretful. “Plus, you two could do with time alone.”

Keith tugged on Lance’s hand once more before admitting defeat.

“Are you sure you have to go?” He asked.

Lance chuckled. “Shiro can take care of you,” nodding his head in the other man’s direction.

Shiro nodded to Keith, who continued to pout.

“I’ll say goodbye before I leave in the morning,” Lance offered. “And we’ll all go out to dinner after, okay?”

“Okay,” Keith agreed petulantly, before pulling Lance down for a hug before he left.

Lance gladly accepted it, and squeezed his soulmate tight. “I’ll see you in morning,” he said softly. “Take care of him,” he said to Shiro over Keith’s shoulder.

“I will,” he replied, and gesturing with his arm for Lance to come closer. Lance left Keith’s embrace to kiss Shiro softly before whispering “Good night,” and leaving the two other men alone. Lance quickly went through his nightly beauty routine, the sounds of Shiro and Keith’s soft conversation a soothing backdrop as he clambered into bed and fell swiftly asleep.

 

* * *

  


After Lance left, Shiro and Keith continued chatting easily for a moment, a continuation of the stories they were sharing before Lance left, but that well quickly dried without him there. 

They sat in silence, Shiro moved himself so he could more comfortably face Keith on the couch, moving so his hand was touching the back of Keith’s neck, softly playing with the long hair there.

“You alright?” He asked softly.

“Yeah,” Keith replied, shivering at the sensation of his soulmates fingers playing with his hair. “I am.”

Shiro grinned. “Good. I’m glad you’re here.”

“I am kind of worried about my food though,” he said. “I bought it and was going to make dinner, but I kind of forgot to do that, and some of it won’t be good by the time I get home.”

“We could make it now? Shiro suggested.

Keith must have looked confused or disgusted, because Shiro laughed at the expression on his face.

“We don’t have to eat it,” he said. “But we could make it now, save the stuff that’s going to go bad, might as well.”

“I dunno,” Keith said. “Wouldn’t we wake Lance?”

“Lance can sleep through anything. He needs 14 alarms to wake up in the morning, trust me, he won’t notice a thing.”

“Are you sure?” Keith asked, still hesitant.

Shiro stood up and dragged Keith to the kitchen by the wrist. “Show me what you got, Gyeong.” he smirked.

Keith huffed and rolled his eyes. “Are you going to help me, or just give bad commentary?”

“I can do both,” Shiro said.

Keith headed towards the fridge, where he and Lance had stashed some of the perishables when they arrived early. He tossed some veg Shiro’s way. “Get to chopping,” he said.

Shiro caught the items with grace, nudged Keith with his hip as he walked past him to get to the knives, and began chopping.

Keith wasn’t going for anything fancy, he had been planning on making a simple stir fry, something that could work as dinner and keep leftovers for lunch the next day.

He began preparing the wet items to work as a sauce while Shiro prepared the veg, humming softly as he did.

It was relaxing and comfortable, and Keith could almost pretend he was used to being alone with Shiro, that they did this kind of thing all the time.

Keith had been planning on using the chicken he bought for this, but decided if he was making this with Shiro to go for the beef. It was always richer anyway. But, he hadn’t bought any cornflour…

“You mind if I look for something in your cupboards?” He asked.

“Help yourself,” Shiro waved, nonchalantly. “What’s ours is yours.”

“Careful waving that knife around,” Keith teased. Shiro made a face at him, but continued chopping his onion.

Keith opened a few failed doors before finding what he was looking for, and adding it to the mixture in front of him. Then he went to join Shiro in chopping. Keith bent to the fridge and pulled out the beef and stood hip to hip with Shiro, grabbing a knife from the holder, and started to work.

“What are you doing?” Shiro laughed. “No, no, you’re doing that all wrong.”

“How is it wrong?!” Keith exclaimed. “How can I be cutting meat wrong?”

“Like that!” Shiro pointed, still laughing. “Come here, let me show you,” he moved to stand behind Keith, holding his arms with his own. Keith gulped, feeling Shiro pressed into his back, arms bracketing him.

“I don’t need you to show me,” Keith insisted, and if his voice was a higher pitch than usual, neither of them mentioned it.

“Clearly you do,” Shiro said, his hand moving to steer Keith’s, and direct the knife. “Do it more like this.”

“I don’t see how this is any different to what I was doing,” Keith said.

“Let me show you properly,”

“I’m the one holding the knife, Shiro,” Keith said. “Back off,”

Shiro chuckled, but raised his hands. “Alright,” he acquiesced. “But when your beef is shredded to pieces, it’s on you.”

“Get back to your veg,” Keith grumbled, still flushed from all the contact with Shiro.

Shiro continued to good naturedly point out everything he thought Keith was doing wrong, but they became more absurd the further they went into the cooking process.

“How am I boiling rice wrong?” Keith demanded.

“Well, firstly, you don’t boil rice. You need a rice cooker.”

“Do you have a rice cooker?” Keith asked.

“No-”

“So we boil it.”

Shiro belly laughed. “You’re still doing it wrong. Don't boil the water in the kettle first.”

“Whatever, the end result is the same, leave me alone.”

Far too soon, the meal was cooked, both men were flushed from laughing so hard, and a delicious dinner was set before them.

“I don’t know if I could eat a full meal at 3am,” Shiro said.

“It’s not that late, is it?” Keith was shocked.

Shiro nodded.

“I was thinking of leaving some for Lance to bring to work tomorrow anyway,” Keith suggested quietly. Shiro’s eyes went wide.

“Would that be okay, do you think?”

“He’d love that,” Shiro said genuinely. “We should do that, and have something small ourselves.”

Keith doled out two small portions for himself and Shiro, and put the remainder in a tupperware container to save for Lance the next day.

The two men chatted some more, while they ate. They moved to the couch, and shared more stories. Cooking failures, the worst meals they’d ever eaten, and on and on. The topics ever changing, the conversation never ending.

They kept talking, and Shiro moved to have his hand on the back of Keith’s neck once more, when the plates had been cleared away. His prosthetic was placed on Keith’s knee, while the other was tangled in his hair. Keith kept his hands to Shiro’s wrist, to be safe, but it did sometimes stray to the torso. And if it stayed there, well it’s not like either of them would complain about it.

And when Keith started to shiver, exhaustion catching up on him, Shiro raced to the spare bedroom to get some pillows and blankets for them.

He dimmed the lights, and sat next to Keith has he lay down on the couch. They talked and talked until Keith could no longer keep his eyes open, and fell asleep.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this chapter took forever to write, and not much happens.  
> Sorry for the delay, but I hope you enjoy! Just trying to get used to this new workload, and travel. But next chapter should be up in... let's say two weeks?
> 
> I promise drama and smut are coming soon.
> 
> Don't forget to come harass me on  tumblr when I don't update on time! Thanks to the people who sent me asks and messages asking me about the chapter. You really did encourage me.
> 
> Also.. I had to google what Americans called Ludo. Parcheesi is a dumb name I'm sorry.
> 
> Major thanks to Zaa and Key for reading it over and giving feedback and correcting my 4am mistakes y'all deserve more than i can ever give you.


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